Sony’s evolving Marvel universe, known for characters like Venom and Morbius, is set to expand with Dakota Johnson starring as Madame Web.
According to Entertainment Weekly, director S.J. Clarkson is charting a unique course for Madame Web, opting to create a self-contained story within Sony’s Spider-Man universe. Clarkson emphasises the film’s independence, saying, “She’s definitely in a standalone world.”
Despite being part of Sony’s array of Marvel films, Madame Web breaks away from the norm by not intertwining with other narratives within the universe. Clarkson explains, “I was able to just have free rein and let the movie be what it needed to be.” This approach allows for an original take on the character, a refreshing change given the recent critical responses to films like Morbius.
“She’s definitely in a standalone world, I was able to just have free rein and let the movie be what it needed to be, as opposed to trying to force it into something else. That was a gift, in a way, to be able to take something and bring a fresh and I hope original take to it.”
Madame Web’s independence extends to its lack of direct ties with Spider-Man, a departure from fan expectations. Sydney Sweeney joins the cast as Julia Carpenter, another iteration of Spider-Woman. Other cast members include Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon and Celeste O’Connor as Mattie Franklin.
Sony’s strategy has been to develop a universe with characters linked to Spider-Man in the comics, but the absence of the iconic web-slinger in recent releases has been noticeable.
Following Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony has focused on movies like Venom, Morbius, and the upcoming Kraven the Hunter, along with Madame Web. The future of Spider-Man within Sony’s universe remains uncertain, with questions about new or returning Spider-Men or potential MCU crossovers.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
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