Madame Webopened this week to poor critical reviews and audience scores, but that hasn’t stopped producers of the film from thinking about a sequel. In fact, a follow-up to the critically maligned film will all come down to audiences embracing it.
Madame Web
During an interview withDiscussing Film, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura was asked about the three Spider-Women in the film played by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor, and if there were future plans for them in a spinoff or sequel. Bonaventura said since there is so much comic book material available about their characters, perhaps even more than Madame Web (Dakota Johnson) herself, that “hopefully, coming out of this first experience with Madame Web, the audience is going to embrace us enough to be able to tell the next story.” The producer went on to say that “Madame Web still hasn’t mastered all of her skills” and that a potential follow-up would show her “trying to master her new powers and often failing.”
A Madame Web Sequel Appears Unlikely
If reviews are any early indication, a sequel might be wishful thinking. The film currentlyregisters a dreadful 14 percent on Rotten Tomatoesand the audience score is also struggling at 55 percent. For those keeping score on Sony’s Spider-Man Universe films, they have all garnered rotten ratings on the aggregator.Venomhas a 30 percent on the site (80 percent audience score),Venom: Let There Be Carnagefares better but is still rotten at 57 percent (84 percent audience score), whileMorbiusis ever so slightly ahead ofMadame Webat 15 percent rotten (71 percent audience score). If Sony hopes to build a proper universe, something needs to change during the development process of these films.
Madame Web Review: A Stunning Disappointment in Every Regard
Cassie Web (Dakota Johnson) uses her newfound clairvoyance to save three teenage girls (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, & Isabela Merced).
Box office potential also seems stalled forMadame Web. Opening day audiences gave the film a “C+” CinemaScore and when it opened on Valentine’s Day, it debuted well behind the other new opener of the day,Bob Marley: One Love. The music biopic broke the mid-week Valentine’s Day record with a gross of $14 million whileMadame Websettled for $6 million.One Lovealso earned an “A” CinemaScore and is expected to gross $30-35 million across the holiday weekend whileMadame Webis tracking toward $20-25 million. Even though the budget is on the lower end at $80 million for the Sony Marvel release, that would bea dismal start and below the $39 million opening ofMorbius. Also, considering the early poor word of mouth, it’s possibleMadame Webcould debut below its tracking estimates.
Directed by S.J. Clarkson,Madame Webfollows Cassie Web (Johnson) as she confronts her past while trying to save three young women and their futures from Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), a man with spider-enhanced abilities that has visions of these three women finding their own power and destroying him in the process. The film also stars Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott.
Madame Webis currently playing in theaters nationwide.
