Sony finally released the first teaser for the upcoming Marvel superhero film Madame Web and some fans have noted it’s giving off the same feel as The Marvels.
After Dakota Johnson was confirmed to be cast as Madame Web, there was some speculation as to what the central plot of the movie would be. Certain fans theorized it would be setting up a Spider-Man reboot, as Madame Web is known as a mentor figure to Peter Parker in comic books, cartoons, and in video games.
However, that does not seem to be the case, as the new trailer reveals Johnson’s version of Madame Web will instead be mentoring three other Spider-people.
Her web connects them all. 🕸 #MadameWeb is coming soon exclusively to movie theaters. pic.twitter.com/OzC1bf00ur
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) November 15, 2023
In the original comic book version and in other media, Cassandra Webb is a blind and virtually paraplegic woman with mutant powers of telepathy and clairvoyance. She is also dependent on a cybernetic harness for life support.
On the other hand, the movie version is “Cassie” Webb, a paramedic with a mysterious past tied to the more mystical Spider-totems through her mother. Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web also takes cues from the Julia Carpenter version, being both younger and having actual spider-like abilities like superhuman strength and agility, aside from the psychic powers.
Oddly, one of the recruits to Madame Web’s cause is Julia Carpenter, played by Sydney Sweeney. Although she is sporting a comic accurate costume, she won’t be a government agent in this film. Instead, Sweeney’s Julia Carpenter is a student. She is joined by Celeste O’Connor’s Mattie Franklin (who was the third Spider-Woman in the comics) and Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon (aka Spider-Girl or Araña).
To say that the film is taking creative liberties with the characters’ origins is an understatement. Conveniently, all three will have a connection with Johnson’s character through seemingly unconnected events. But all are shown to possess spider-like powers due to their intertwined fates. And yes, that does sound a little like The Marvels, with the characters having an inexplicable link between their super powers.
With the big-budget The Marvels suffering one of the lowest box office weekends for a Marvel movie, Sony Pictures Entertainment might want to reconsider taking a page from that film’s playbook.
The trailer also reveals the antagonist as Ezekiel Sims (played by Tahar Rahim). However, it appears the character is being combined with at least two other characters from the Marvel Comics. These would be Morlun and Kaine.
Morlun is a supernatural entity who hunts and consumes bearers of the Spider-totem. Meanwhile, Kaine is one of the clones of Peter Parker, playing both villain and ally to Spider-Man at different points in their comic book histories.
J. Michael Straczynski, who created both Ezekiel Sims and Morlun during his run on the Amazing Spider-Man comic book, reacted on social media as to the deviation of the characters from their origins.
And well, this just happened. It's definitely the character I created for Spidey, but it feels like they may have merged it with Morlun a bit. (Don't ask for any details because this is the first I'm hearing of it, so my guess is as good as yours.)https://t.co/1xwNNTMUP2
— J. Michael Straczynski (@straczynski) November 16, 2023
While 2024 is going to experience a drought of Marvel Studios films (with only Deadpool 3 officially scheduled), Sony is going to release no less than three Spider-Man Universe projects. Aside from Madame Web, Kraven the Hunter starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson is up for August, while Venom 3 swings to theaters in November. This would be a golden opportunity for Sony to one-up the MCU which is currently experiencing a flux of mixed results, both creatively and at the box office.
But what do you think about the Madame Web trailer? Is it really giving off the same feel as the MCU’s recent box office bomb, The Marvels? What are your thoughts of the live-action Sony Spider-Man Universe that is still without Spider-Man himself?
Madame Web is targeted for a theatrical release on February 14, 2024.
