‘Madame Web’ Gives Its Titular Character a New Origin Story

Madame Web producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura reveals the movie will give a new origin story to the titular heroine. In an interview with ComicBook.com, di Bonaventura also talked about how Sony’s live-action take on the character will please long-term fans and newcomers alike.

In Marvel Comics, Madame Web is a supporting character who guides Peter Parker through his multiversal adventures thanks to her clairvoyance powers. The character is paralyzed and gets her monicker for being permanently attached to a life-supporting system shaped like a spiderweb. Further, Madame Web is usually depicted as an elderly woman. So, of course, we’re all curious to see what Sony will do with the character after casting Dakota Johnson in the lead role. As di Bonaventura now reveals, Sony will take advantage of Marvel Comics’ lack of information about Madame Web’s past to give the character a brand-new origin story. As the producer explains:

“So, in that respect, if you’re a Spider-Man fan, you’re gonna love the character because you know it from the comic books, which she doesn’t really have that big a character in the comic books, we’re doing the origin story of Madame Web. And so you meet her before she’s actually the person that you know in the comic book and you come to understand how she becomes that person. So, I think that’ll be a really fresh new terrain for the fans.”

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While Sony is trying to keep the lid shut on the project, we know Madame Web takes place in the early 2000s. So, since the movie is an origin story, this time jump will allow Madame Web to crossover with other Spider-Man properties Sony is exploring in the present. So far, Sony has already released Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Morbius, with Kraven, El Muerto, and Venom 3 currently in development. And with Miles Morales heading Sony’s exploration of the Multiverse, it shouldn’t take long before all these characters meet in theaters.

Who’s Behind Madame Web?

Madame Web is directed by S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones, The Defenders) from a script by Morbius’ writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The movie stars Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter, Marvel Comics’ second Spider-Woman. According to Sweeney, Madame Web is an ensemble movie, with Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor joining the cast as two “badass females.” The film will also star Adam Scott, Emma Roberts, and Tahar Rahim in unknown roles.

After a series of delays, Madame Web swings into theaters on February 16, 2024.