The movie “Madame Web” is described as a catastrophic mistake, facing severe backlash due to poor reviews and ticket sales.
The film’s failure not only impacts itself but also jeopardizes potential future movies and the Sony Spider-Verse as a whole.
“On Wednesday night, you could actually watch advance purchase sales declining in real time as buyers were refunding their tickets,” a theatrical chain executive stated. “It really says something when you’d rather have Shazam! 2 numbers.”
The #MadameWeb box office flop is wiping out an entire plan for a new movie series, as Sony becomes the latest superhero studio in need of a pivot https://t.co/Qqu2yMtgDO
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 20, 2024
Critics attributed the failure to the misguided focus on B- and C-tier characters like Madame Web, deviating from the successful formula of Spider-Man and Venom.
“Sony’s previous Spider-Man universe movie — 2022’s Morbius — was a critical bust and much-maligned by fanboys online, but at least it managed to earn $170 million worldwide,” The Hollywood Reporter (THR) wrote.
“There’s no such hope for Madame Web,” THR stated.
“Plus, the feature’s collapse doesn’t just impact this film, but a new potential franchise led by star Dakota Johnson that Sony had hoped to spin out,” THR wrote.
The decision to center the movie on four “Spider-Women” without a strong connection to Spider-Man has been criticized as a lazy and misguided attempt to attract new audiences.
