Dakota Johnson Blames Studio for ‘Madame Web’ Failure: ‘It Wasn’t My Fault!’

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Dakota Johnson discusses the setbacks experienced by the 2024 Sony Pictures Marvel adaptation of Madame Web, titled “Reflections on the Challenges Faced by Madame Web”. When the project was initially unveiled, it was met with significant apprehension. It represented another endeavor by Sony Pictures to establish a Spider-Man spin-off universe without the web-slinger himself. The film’s trailer received widespread ridicule, and when it hit cinemas on February 14, 2024, it turned out to be both a commercial and critical disappointment. It managed to avoid the disgrace of being the lowest-grossing Spider-Man spin-off due to the success of Kraven the Hunter.

Discussing her upcoming movie, “Materialist,” Johnson shared insights about the behind-the-scenes of the film, “Madame Web.” With a chuckle and in unison with director Celine Song, she clarified that any issues with the film were not her responsibility. She further implied that the version of “Madame Web” she agreed to star in was not the final product and had been altered by studio executives. Johnson explained:

These days, creative choices are often made by groups or individuals who lack creativity. It can be challenging to produce art or entertainment in such an environment. I believe this is what happened with the film Madame Web. It began as one concept, but eventually transformed into something else. I found myself simply going along with the changes, and unfortunately, that’s not uncommon in bigger-budget productions. These movies sometimes fail despite their resources.

What Were the Original Plans for ‘Madame Web’?

Since the release of “Madame Web” in cinemas, there’s been a lot of talk about significant changes made to the film. This is particularly noticeable in the film’s awkward and poorly executed dialogue replacement (ADR), a trait that was also seen in “Kraven the Hunter”. During the promotional tour for “Madame Web”, Dakota Johnson hinted at the film being unlike what she initially agreed to. Her straightforward comments about “Madame Web” reportedly caused displeasure among Sony Pictures executives.

It’s been speculated that initially, the film centered around Cassandra Webb (Johnson) and three future Spider-Women protecting an unborn Peter Parker in a scenario reminiscent of “Terminator.” This would explain why the movie is a period piece set in 2002 and why it includes Adam Scott as Uncle Ben and Emma Roberts as Mary, Peter’s mother. Earlier merchandise like popcorn buckets seemed to imply that Sony was aiming for a film connected to the MCU, but Marvel Studios and Disney declined this possibility. However, recent popcorn buckets suggest that the cast of “Madame Web” might have been misled into joining the project, believing it was part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Despite the fact that the movie “Madame Web” was both a commercial and critical failure, many of its actors have since moved on to other projects. For instance, Johnson has chosen to take on smaller roles with a strong character focus, like those in films such as “Daddio” and “Materialist”. Isabela Merced can currently be seen in “The Last of Us”, and she’s also set to play the superhero Hawkgirl in an upcoming “Superman” production. Sydney Sweeney has shared that her involvement in “Madame Web” with Sony opened up various development deals, leading to projects like “Anyone but You” and the forthcoming “Barbarella”. However, it’s unlikely that these actors, particularly Johnson, will make a cameo appearance in the multiversal event of “Avengers: Secret Wars”.

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2025-06-04 20:32