Dakota Johnson has added another project to her already extensive list of roles, as she is set to star in the upcoming Spider-Man spinoff, Madame Web. The news broke in February 2022, with reports stating that Johnson was in talks for the titular role in Sony's film. Although the deal was not yet final at the time, insiders revealed that once Johnson's involvement was confirmed, more information about the project started to emerge. With the release of an official trailer, here's what we know so far.
First, let's talk about Madame Web. The character was first introduced in the 1980s in The Amazing Spider-Man comics. Madame Web is a clairvoyant mutant who specializes in predicting the future of Spider-themed superheroes. She has mentored not only Peter Parker's alter ego but also multiple generations of heroes who call themselves Spider-Woman. Also known as Cassandra Webb, she is depicted as a blind and paralyzed elderly woman who relies on a web-like life support machine. According to Deadline, Madame Web can be considered as Sony's version of Doctor Strange, thanks to her psychic sensory powers.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Johnson remained tight-lipped about how the character might be reinterpreted in the film. However, she expressed her excitement about joining the Marvel world and being able to portray a lesser-known character. Johnson also revealed that it has always been a dream of hers to star in a massive action movie, and she wanted to play a character similar to a female Indiana Jones.
The trailer for Madame Web revealed that Johnson will be portraying a younger version of the character, while still maintaining her clairvoyance powers. The cast of the film includes Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter/Spider-Woman, Celeste O'Connor as Mattie Franklin/Spider-Woman, Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon/Araña, Tahar Rahim as Ezekiel Sims, and actors such as Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott, and Zosia Mamet in undisclosed roles. The film is directed by S.J. Clarkson, known for her work on Marvel TV projects.
Madame Web is scheduled to be released on February 14, 2024, making it Sony's first Marvel superhero movie with a female lead. The studio has previously released films such as the Venom series, Morbius, and the animated Spider-Verse films. The three previous iterations of Spider-Man have also been part of Sony's Marvel universe.
Stay tuned for more updates on Madame Web.
