Sony's Spider-Verse continues to grow, as the studio seems committed to fleshing out this branching cinematic universe, and the next on their list is Madame Webb. Apart from the MCU-adjacent Tom Holland Spider-Man films, which gave the studio its biggest hit in the form of the culmination of No Way Home in 2021, the response to Sony's attempt at building a cinematic universe out of Spider-Man characters has been lukewarm. 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy was a monstrous hit with a massive assist from China and led the foundations for Sony's universe. Venom: Let There Be Carnage built on the success of its predecessor, despite the pandemic, but Jared Leto's Morbius treaded some rocky waters and ended up being both a critical and financial failure.

Sony's Spider-Man universe movies will finally adapt a character who's not a villain in the comics, as they look to mix things up. Madame Web is a very interesting character from the Spider-Man corner of Marvel Comics and is actually considered a mutant with telepathic and future prediction abilities, hooked up to a spider-web-like support chair that looks after all her bodily needs owing to her medical conditions. The film's amazing cast, which includes Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney playing the lead roles, has the fans excited, and if you're intrigued too, here's everything we know so far about this new film in the Spider-Verse.

Editor's Note: This article was last updated on January 19, 2024.

When Will 'Madame Web' be Released?

Madame Web was originally supposed to be released on July 7, 2023, but Sony pushed the release date back to October 6, 2023. Sony then pushed the film back for a third and final time, with Madame Web now opening in theaters on February 14, 2024. The film will try to capitalize on Valentine's weekend, which has previously benefited comic book films like Deadpool and Black Panther, and with the appeal of the film's cast, it also has the potential to be a great Galentine's night out movie. The superhero movie will be opening against the music biopic Bob Marley: One Love.

When and Where Will 'Madame Web' Be on Streaming?

Sony is one of the few studios without their own streaming services, and thanks to a deal that was struck in early 2021, their movies typically go to Netflix after their theatrical run and Digital window, so Madame Web will also swing by Netflix at an unspecified date later next year.

Is There a Trailer for 'Madame Web'?

The first trailer for Madame Web was released on November 15, 2023. Coming in at a lengthy three minutes, the trailer sets up a world of masked figures and psychics.

A behind-the-scenes featurette for Madame Web was released by Sony Pictures on January 18.

Who's In the Cast of 'Madame Web'?

Besides its association with Spider-Man and Marvel Comics, Madame Web has fans excited about its particularly buzzy cast. Dakota Johnson will be portraying the titular role of Madame Web aka Cassandra Web. Since appearing in Fifty Shades Trilogy, Dakota Johnson has appeared in several indie and prestigious films and has delivered some incredibly strong performances in films like Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria, The Lost Daughter, and The Peanut Butter Falcon, and Madame Web will see her go back into the franchise zone once again.

Along with Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) has also been cast in the film as Julia Carpenter, who in the comics is the second character to take on the mantle of Spider-Woman. As for the film's other two leads, Isabella Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) will play Anya Corazon/Araña, and Celeste O'Connor (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) will play Mattie Franklin, the third character in Marvel Comics to become Spider-Woman. Tahar Rahim (Napoleon) will play the movie's villain, Ezekiel Sims, a spider-powered man who holds a connection to the death of Cassandra's mother.

Also cast in undisclosed roles are Emma Roberts (American Horror Story), Adam Scott (Severance), Mike Epps (The Hangover), and Zosia Mamet (The Flight Attendant).

Who Is Making 'Madame Web'?

Prolific British Director S.J. Clarkson, who has directed episodes of popular shows like Succession, Jessica Jones, Heroes, House, and Dexter, will be helming the film which is set to be her feature film debut. The script of the film has been written by the writers behind Morbius - Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, from an initial draft by Karem Sanga (First Girl I Loved). Madame Web also has No Way Home editor Leigh Folsom Boyd and cinematographer Mauro Fiore attached to the project. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Bumblebee), with Adam Merims (King Richard) serving as Executive Producer and Palak Patel (The Gray Man) as the Development Executive.

We spoke with di Bonaventura about the project, and he gave his thoughts on the Spider-Man mythos.

“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.”

What Will 'Madame Web' Be About?

The official plot synopsis for Madame Web reads:

"Meanwhile, in another universe…” In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures...if they can all survive a deadly present.

In an interview with ComicBook.com, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura revealed that the movie would take advantage of the character's rather mysterious past in the comics to give her a new origin story. In Marvel Comics, the first Madam Web is Cassandra Webb, a woman from Salem, Oregon, who is born blind and with a medical condition known as myasthenia gravis, which made her extremely weak, but also eventually aided in her development of psychic abilities and clairvoyance. She is known for her close association with the Spider-Women Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter in the comics and usually helps them out with her abilities. Here's what di Bonaventura said:

“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.”

From the set photos that have been leaked, it appears that Dakota Johnson is sporting Julia Carpenter's classic costume, who inherited the role of Madame Web (and the psychic abilities that come with it) after Cassandra's death. This change will also make a lot of sense considering that Dakota Johnson is still in her 30s, while the original Madame Web is usually a very old woman in the comics. But some rumors also claim that Sydney Sweeney is playing the character of Julia Carpenter in the film. Based on di Bonaventura's statement, it's possible that Johnson will play a relatively modern take on Cassandra who is yet to actually become the older and more powerful psychic we know from the comics. For now, all we can do is wait and see what web of plot lines the writers are weaving.

When and Where Was 'Madame Web' Filmed?

Principal photography on Madame Web began on July 11, 2022, and filming officially wrapped in January 2023. Filming took place in Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City, including Chinatown and Grand Central Station.