“Madame Web”, a 2024 American superhero movie showcasing the Marvel Comics character of the same name, unfolds the tale of Cassie Webb (portrayed by Dakota Johnson) as she grapples with her past while endeavoring to rescue three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor) from Ezekiel Sims (played by Tahar Rahim). Sims aims to eliminate them before they transform into Spider-Women in the future and seek revenge on him. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures in collaboration with Marvel Entertainment and TSG Entertainment, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, the film marks the fourth installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). S. J. Clarkson directs the movie from a screenplay she co-wrote with Claire Parker, alongside Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The star-studded cast includes Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott.
Sony initiated the development of a Madame Web film for its shared universe in September 2019, with Sazama and Sharpless penning the script. Clarkson came on board as director in May 2020, making her feature film directorial debut, and Johnson was cast in the lead role in early 2022. The casting process, particularly for the Spider-Women characters, unfolded in the subsequent months. Filming commenced in mid-July 2022 and concluded by the year’s end, spanning locations across Massachusetts, including Boston, as well as New York City and Mexico. The involvement of Clarkson and Parker as writers was disclosed in November 2023. Johan Söderqvist, known for his collaborations with Clarkson, composed the film’s score.
Madame Web premiered at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, Los Angeles, on February 12, 2024, hitting theaters in the United States on February 14. Despite its star power and extensive production, the film received negative reviews from critics and amassed over $100 million in global box office receipts against an estimated production budget ranging from $80 to $100 million.
CHARACTERS
- Dakota Johnson portrays Cassandra “Cassie” Webb, a Manhattan paramedic who gains psychic abilities after an accident, delving into her newfound clairvoyance within the “spider world” as a reluctant hero. Johnson and director S. J. Clarkson aimed to present a unique depiction of Cassie, focusing on her wit, humor, and abrasive yet compassionate nature as she forms a bond with three young women, driven by an unyielding desire to save others stemming from her past.
- Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor star as Julia Cornwall, Anya Corazon, and Mattie Franklin respectively, three teenagers hunted by Ezekiel Sims (played by Tahar Rahim) due to their future potential as Spider-Women. Rahim’s character, Sims, a former explorer with enhanced abilities gained from a powerful spider, obsessively pursues them, embodying intensity and ambiguity, clad in a black suit reminiscent of Spider-Man’s style.
STORYLINE
In 1973, in the Peruvian jungles, Ezekiel Sims and his colleague Constance Webb stumble upon a unique healing spider. Ezekiel betrays the team, claiming the spider and leaving Constance to die, who later gives birth to Cassandra. In 2003, now working as a paramedic in NYC, Cassandra, or “Cassie,” experiences a near-death vision after a rescue mission, realizing her newfound ability to see the future.
Ezekiel, equipped with limited precognition and enhanced physical prowess, targets three teenage girls, Julia, Anya, and Mattie, believing they will be his downfall. Cassie intervenes, taking the girls into hiding, but Ezekiel pursues them. Through a ritual in Peru, Cassie gains deeper insight into her abilities and learns of her mother’s true intentions in seeking the spider. As events unfold, Cassie confronts Ezekiel to protect the girls, ultimately defeating him but sustaining severe injuries, including blindness and paralysis. Despite her physical condition, Cassie resolves to guide the girls in their destined roles, relying on her clairvoyance to navigate the future.
