Madame Web Star Not Ruling Out Major Franchises (But Would They Return to Marvel?)

Making Madame Web wasn’t a great experience for star Dakota Johnson, but she wouldn’t let that stop her from taking a role in another major franchise film. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times to promote her upcoming movie Materialists, the actress reflected on her time on the ill-fated Marvel adaptation. Johnson was very critical of the behind the scenes process that troubled Madame Web during the various stages of its development. Though she doesn’t look back at that movie favorably, she would still be open to another studio tentpole. Johnson shared that even smaller films can turn out poorly.

“It wasn’t my fault. There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body,” Johnson said. “And it’s really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way. And I think unfortunately with Madame Web, it started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point. But that happens. Bigger-budget movies fail all the time. I don’t have a Band-Aid over it. There’s no part of me that’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll never do that again’ to anything. I’ve done even tiny movies that didn’t do well. Who cares?”

Released last February, Madame Web ended up being one of the final installments of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe franchise. Receiving largely negative reviews (11% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes), the film also struggled at the box office. Madame Web grossed only $100.4 million worldwide and won Worst Picture at this year’s Razzies.

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In the wake of Madame Web‘s underwhelming performance, those involved with the film have shared their thoughts. Johnson’s co-star Sydney Sweeney took things in stride, viewing Madame Web as a great business opportunity that allowed her to cultivate a professional relationship with Sony, leading to other projects getting off the ground. Sweeney isn’t bothered by Madame Web‘s box office haul, as she had fun on set making the film. Adam Scott said he’s “not sure” if he’d star in another comic book adaptation after Madame Web.

Johnson is smart to not completely close the book on future franchise roles, but given how Madame Web turned out, she’ll likely be very selective should any blockbusters come her way. While it’s true there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to franchise filmmaking, some studios are willing to give their creatives freedom. Marvel, Star Wars, and DC are full of projects that are driven more by a director’s unique vision for a story than a committee looking to check boxes. Perhaps a project along those lines would be more appealing to Johnson, allowing her to work with a gifted auteur within a larger sandbox.

If Johnson were to make another Marvel movie (in all likelihood, one set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), it would be interesting to see what kind of character she’d play. Actors have been leery of joining the MCU in the past due to a reluctance to sign a multi-picture contract. With that in mind, Johnson might be more inclined to sign on for a one-off role to dip her toes back in those waters (and seeing how the experience goes) that doesn’t require a massive commitment. Although, Madame Web was setting up a sequel, so Johnson isn’t averse to becoming the face of a franchise if she feels it’s the right character for her to play.