Dakota Johnson Attributes Madame Web Flop to Non-Creative Decisions

Madame Web ranks among the biggest superhero film failures, bombing at the box office with a wave of negative reviews. It set a record for the worst opening of any Sony Spider-Man film and was the first Marvel movie since Fox's Fantastic Four reboot to miss the top spot on release.

Even Hideo Kojima, famed director of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, could only muster six words in his review. IGN offered more, blaming the film’s issues on an "overcrowded" script filled with "extraneous characters, simplistic archetypes, and uninspired dialogue."

Following this and the even less successful Kraven the Hunter, reports suggest Sony has shifted focus from its Spider-Man universe to the anticipated Spider-Man: Brand New Day next year.

What led to Madame Web’s downfall? Since its release, debates have swirled. Emma Roberts, who portrayed Mary Parker, blamed the film’s poor performance on internet culture, where "everything is turned into a meme." One trailer line went viral for being mocked, yet it never appeared in the final film.

Sydney Sweeney, who played Julia Cornwall (Spider-Woman), admitted she was "just along for the ride," and in a Saturday Night Live monologue, distanced herself from the role, saying: "You definitely didn’t see me in Madame Web."

Now, Dakota Johnson, the film’s lead, has shared candid thoughts on Madame Web, pointing to deep issues in its production process.

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While promoting her rom-com Materialists, Johnson told the Los Angeles Times about Madame Web’s failure: “It wasn’t my fault.”

“Creative decisions are now often made by committee,” she added, “or by people lacking any creative instinct. It’s tough to create art or even entertainment that way. With Madame Web, what started as one vision morphed into something else. I was just along for the ride by then. But this happens. Big-budget films flop all the time.”

Her recent comments echo earlier ones to Bustle: “Art can’t be made using numbers and algorithms. I’ve long believed audiences are sharp, but executives think otherwise. Audiences always spot inauthenticity.”

Johnson seems at peace with her Madame Web experience. “I’m not wounded by it,” she said. “I’m not swearing off anything. I’ve done small films that didn’t succeed either. It happens.”

Sony’s Spider-Man universe includes six films: Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, and Kraven the Hunter. In April, Venom star Tom Hardy discussed the unsuccessful attempt to create a Venom/Spider-Man crossover.

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