An exciting web to weave. The expansion of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe continues with a new action-adventure flick with a female focus: Madame Web.
Though the exact plot details have yet to be released, the movie’s title indicates a story about the Marvel Comics character Madame Web who was first introduced in 1980’s The Amazing Spider-Man No. 210. The character is a clairvoyant mutant who specializes in predicting the future of several superheroes in the Spider-Man universe.
In the comics, Madame Web not only mentored Peter Parker’s alter ego but numerous others. She was usually depicted as a blind, paralyzed old woman surrounded by web-like detail designed to keep her alive.
Though it’s not confirmed yet who will be playing what characters, it’s been widely reported that Dakota Johnson will be starring as the titular character in the flick.
Joining the Fifty Shades of Grey actress will be Sydney Sweeney, who confirmed at the May 2022 Met Gala she would start filming in the summer. Rounding out the cast is Adam Scott, Emma Roberts, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim and Mike Epps.
In the first photos released from filming, fans took note of Johnson’s red leather coat, which looked reminiscent of Julia Carpenter, who’s gone under the monikers Spider-Woman and Madame Web in the comic books, ostensibly confirming her role.
Other behind-the-scenes photos from Boston Globe reporter Kevin Slane showed a movie set with advertisements for Palm Pilots with “3G speed” and a billboard with Beyoncé’s debut album, indicating the movie — or at least certain parts — would be set 20 years in the past.
The story has been in development for a few years via Sony. In May 2020, director S.J. Clarkson was hired to direct the studio’s first female-centric Marvel film, which was at that time looking into actresses Charlize Theron or Amy Adams to star. The studio then tapped two new writers — Matt Sazama and Burt Sharpless, who are behind fellow Spider-Man spinoff Morbius — to craft the screenplay. By February 2022, Johnson was in talks to portray the lead.
Filming began in mid-July 2022 in Boston and throughout Massachusetts with plans to shoot in New York and Mexico as well. Shooting is expected to conclude by mid-October and is currently set to be released on October 6, 2023.
Speaking with Variety at the Canneseries festival in France’s Côte d’Azur in April 2022, Sweeney noted how she ordered “a bunch of comic books” to prepare for the role. “There’s a lot to learn. I’ve always been a really big fan of all of the Marvel and Sony Universe movies,” the Euphoria actress shared. “I’ve grown up watching them all and I’ve been engulfed in the entire world my entire life, so being able to be a part of that is such an incredible, incredible thing.”
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