Sony’s ongoing Spider-Verse plans may have hit a more serious speed bump than ever – yes, including Morbius. The recent addition, Madame Web, has been hammered with extremely negative critical reviews ahead of its first weekend.
The debut of Sony’s Madame Web took place Monday night after the film’s premiere in Los Angeles, and initial reactions have already flooded social media such as X (formerly Twitter). The film introduced not one but four spider-themed characters to cinemas, but the debut isn’t looking too good for our heroines.
The #MadameWeb crew at the premiere in Los Angeles. 🖤🕸️ pic.twitter.com/JXXlRLeKNJ
— Madame Web (@MadameWeb) February 13, 2024
While Madame Web boasts some well-executed action sequences, the film’s narrative and individual performances have come under heavy scrutiny. Its lead star, Dakota Johnson, has become a particular point of contention among critics.
The main issues that critics have pointed out so far are the lack of engaging performances, character backstories failing to achieve emotional resonance, and the overall movie struggling to maintain coherence within its own plot.
On that note, some of the responses viciously mocked the unwillingness of the film to fully embrace its superhero trappings. Specifically, the all-too-brief shots of the Spider-Women in costume in the film are barely more than shaky cam “visions”. Even Cassandra Webb only wears the red costume during the tail-end of the movie.
The connections with Spider-Man are also barely touched on in the course of the Madame Web movie. As reported previously, Ben Parker (played by Adam Scott) is Cassie’s EMT partner with his sister-in-law Mary (Emma Roberts) pregnant with the future Peter Parker. Except the baby is not even mentioned by name after being born – this reluctance to go all the way seems to have alienated fans.
#MadameWeb is Rotten at 16% on the Tomatometer. Here's what the critics are saying about the new Spider-Man spin-off. https://t.co/AA6a0wxZpB
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) February 13, 2024
Unfortunately, the film has failed to win over audiences, earning a lackluster 16% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Comparisons between Madame Web and recent Marvel films and shows such as The Marvels and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law have emerged, with some critics dubbing them the “Dumb and Dumber of female-led Marvel Comics superhero movies.” Yes, some have even stated that Morbius (2022) was better.
morbius was better
— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) February 13, 2024
Cassie undergoes a transformation from an awkward paramedic to a reluctant hero and mentor to a group of spider-empowered women after acquiring psychic abilities that allow her to foresee future events within the ‘Web of Life and Destiny’. The rest of the ensemble cast includes Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott.
Despite the unfavorable reviews, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe films have consistently proven their box office prowess, amassing over $1.52 billion globally. Projections for Madame Web indicate a domestic opening between $20 million and $25 million over its initial five days in theaters. However, it is anticipated to fall short of the projected $30 million opening of the upcoming Bob Marley: One Love.
Directed by S.J. Clarkson, while the script was crafted by a team including Clarkson, Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, and Claire Parker (heh). Madame Web is the fourth installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, following the first Venom film (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), and the aforementioned Morbius.
It may have debuted at a really bad time too, with comic book movies experiencing a challenging period, marked by lackluster box office returns and critical reviews. In the past couple of years, big superhero movies like The Marvels, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Thor: Love and Thunder, The Flash, Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have all underperformed both critically and commercially.
Post-Madame Web, Sony’s roadmap includes Kraven the Hunter, slated for release on August 30, and Venom 3, scheduled to hit theaters on November 8. As the web of criticism ensnares Madame Web, the larger question emerges: Can Sony’s live-action Spider-Verse saga overcome these challenges and find success with audiences with the rest of the upcoming installments in 2024?
