Summary
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Sony’s
Madame Web
made many changes to the Marvel Comics’ character of Cassandra Webb and the overall narrative of Spider-Man and his allies. -
Madame Web
altered every single character being adapted from Marvel Comics, including Cassie Webb, Ben Parker, Ezekiel Sims, and the three young Spider-Women. -
Cassandra Webb’s origin story is different in live-action, her illness has been completely ignored, and she is not a mutant in the live-action
Madame Web
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Sony made many changes to Marvel Comics stories and characters in 2024’s Madame Web, altering the titular hero and her storyline significantly. As the latest addition to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, Madame Web premiered in February 2024, introducing Dakota Johnson as the titular Cassandra Webb, a New York City paramedic who gains psychic abilities which embroils her in the lives of three young women and a terrifying, superpowered villain. Taking place outside the MCU as the first chronological film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, Madame Web unfortunately failed to capture viewers’ imaginations, leaving the future of Dakota Johnson’s powerful new hero uncertain.
Sony’s live-action Madame Web movie made some massive changes to the narrative and character of Cassandra Webb from Marvel Comics. This lack of faithfulness to the Marvel Comics source material may have contributed to Madame Web’s terrible reviews, disappointing performance, and low box office total, with Madame Web being regarded as one of the worst superhero movies in history. Making these changes may have had a detrimental impact on Madame Web, particularly since some of the titular character’s core aspects were altered pretty dramatically, and the wider world of Spider-Man-like heroes and villains in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe were also changed.
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Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Projects |
Year |
|---|---|
|
Venom |
2018 |
|
Venom: Let There Be Carnage |
2021 |
|
Morbius |
2022 |
|
Madame Web |
2024 |
|
Venom: The Last Dance |
2024 |
|
Kraven the Hunter |
2024 |
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10 Ben Parker Is A Paramedic In Madame Web
Adam Scott Played Ben Parker In Madame Web
As well as introducing Cassandra Webb as a paramedic in New York, which is already a drastic change from her Marvel Comics backstory, Madame Web also debuted Adam Scott as her paramedic partner and close friend, Ben Parker. Ben Parker is Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben, but while he was depicted as a paramedic in Madame Web, Ben trained as a military police officer in Marvel Comics, and was even a singer in a band. This gave him the skills necessary to protect Peter from bullies during his childhood.
Adam Scott did a solid job of playing Ben Parker in Madame Web, and was one of the strongest parts of the lackluster movie. Changing Ben’s job from military police officer to paramedic wasn’t such a massive and unusual change, particularly since this line of work would still teach Ben valuable skills that would aid in his eventual raising of Peter Parker.
9 Madame Web’s Marvel Comics Costume & Equipment Are Entirely Changed
Madame Web Has An Impressive Life Support System In Marvel Comics
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Cassandra Webb suited up in her superhero costume at the very end of Madame Web, using her astral form to join the three Spider-Women in their potential futures. However, this new costume was disappointing, featuring Cassie in a simple red jumpsuit and a red visor. This was a wild change from Madame Web’s costume in Marvel Comics, particularly since the character’s costume and equipment are tied directly to her chronic illness, which Madame Web all but ignores.
In Marvel Comics, Cassandra Webb’s myasthenia gravis made it impossible for her to move, but her husband, Jonathan Webb, designed her a high-tech life support system that was reminiscent of a spider-web. This was completely omitted from Madame Web, with Cassie’s potential myasthenia gravis even being ignored, to some controversy. Instead, Dakota Johnson’s Cassandra Webb ended Madame Web in a simple wheelchair after having been injured during the final fight against Ezekiel Sims.
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8 Cassandra Webb Is Aged-Down For Madame Web
Madame Web Is Depicted As An Old Woman In Marvel Comics
Madame Web is depicted as an elderly woman in Marvel Comics, which adds to her mysticism and motherly instincts towards Spider-Man and other young Spider-People. In Sony’s Madame Web, however, Dakota Johnson portrayed a much younger version of Cassandra Webb, telling the character’s origin story as a prominent hero in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. This allowed Johnson to deliver some interesting and different personality traits compared to her Marvel Comics counterpart, but also came with its flaws.
Making Cassandra Webb a younger woman in Madame Web meant that some of the wisdom, maternal instincts, and approachability of the clairvoyant hero were lost. Depicted as a more abrasive and hardened New York City paramedic, Johnson’s Cassandra Webb was harder to relate to, and harder to like. It may have been more interesting had the character’s age been kept the same, bringing the mysterious, oracle-like Madame Web truly into Sony’s live-action Spider-Man Universe.
7 Cassandra Webb Is Born Blind & Paralyzed In Marvel Comics
Cassie’s Blindness & Injuries Were Explained Differently In Madame Web
During the final battle against Ezekiel Sims in Madame Web, Cassandra Webb is blinded by a firework and seriously injured, culminating in her becoming paraplegic and needing to use a wheelchair. This provided an origin story for the character’s notable blindness and paralysis, but wasn’t at all necessary. In Marvel Comics, Cassandra Webb was born blind, which could have been implemented into the live-action character, Her myasthenia gravis also led to her paralysis, but this was removed from Sony’s movie.
Having Cassandra Webb be born blind in Marvel Comics gave her a unique perspective on the world, which changed dramatically for the live-action Madame Web. However, this did allow Dakota Johnson to actually engage in action sequences as Cassandra Webb, as her character being blind from the get-go would have made this difficult. Madame Web did a solid job of explaining Cassie’s injuries, but this could have been handled better.
6 Ezekiel Sims Is Completely Different In Madame Web
Ezekiel Sims Was A Mentor To Spider-Man In Marvel Comics
While many changes were made to Cassandra Webb’s own character in Madame Web, the movie’s primary villain was also altered significantly. Tahar Rahim’s Ezekiel Sims was introduced as a former explorer who gained enhanced strength and reflexes from a spider bite, who targeted the three Spider-Women after seeing them kill him in a vision of the future. Ezekiel Sims was one of Madame Web’s weakest elements, particularly since the character was changed unrecognizably from Marvel Comics.
In Marvel Comics, Ezekiel Sims is a businessperson who gained spider-like powers ritualistically in his youth. He wanted to use his powers for good, but built a business empire instead, but later became something of a mentor to Peter Parker’s Spider-Man. Sims taught Parker about spider totems, and helped the wall-crawler battle Morlun. He later sacrificed himself to save Peter Parker, so it was a surprise to see him so villainous in Madame Web.
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5 Las Arañas Don’t Exist In Marvel Comics
Las Arañas Were Created For Madame Web
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Las Arañas were depicted in Madame Web as a secret tribe of people living in the wilds of Peru who had been enhanced with spider-like abilities. The tribe saved Constance Webb after she was shot by Ezekiel Sims in 1973, allowing her to be bitten by a spider while pregnant with Cassie, which later culminated in Cassie’s psychic abilities. Las Arañas operated with the purpose of protecting women and punishing evil men, and Santiago, the group’s leader, eventually helped Cassie discover her true power.
While Las Arañas were an interesting addition to Madame Web, the tribe was created specifically for the movie, and has no counterpart in Marvel Comics. Unfortunately, Madame Web didn’t dive deep enough into the mythology and history of Las Arañas, meaning their inclusion was all but meaningless. It’s possible that Las Arañas could return in the SSU’s future, however, allowing them to be developed even more.
4 Madame Web Is Not Connected To Spider-Man’s Family In Marvel Comics
Cassandra Webb & Ben Parker Are Close In Madame Web
In Marvel Comics, Cassandra Webb and Peter Parker are not connected at all, aside from the fact that the pair enlist each other’s help several times. This marked a huge change in Madame Web, as Cassie became involved directly in Peter Parker’s life, as she was depicted as Ben Parker’s paramedic partner and closest friend, and was even friends with Peter Parker’s own mother, Mary. This means that Madame Web is intrinsically connected to Spider-Man in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
While this has little impact at the moment, this could become important in the future of Sony’s live-action superhero franchise. Sony hasn’t yet introduced its own version of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man, but when the wall-crawler does debut, it’s likely he’ll know of his connection to Madame Web, thanks to Cassie’s friendship with Uncle Ben. This will give Spider-Man a huge advantage immediately in his superhero career, rather than being completely alone.
3 Peter Parker Is Not The First Spider-Man In Madame Web
Ezekiel Sims & The Spider People Of Peru Came Before Peter Parker In Madame Web
Traditionally, Peter Parker is the first character to become enhanced by a spider bite in Marvel Comics, but this has not been the case in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. In Madame Web alone, several Spider-Man-like characters were introduced long before Peter Parker’s birth, and Parker’s transformation into Spider-Man hasn’t even been explored in Sony’s franchise yet. Ezekiel Sims, Las Arañas, and even Cassandra Webb herself were all enhanced by spider bites long before Peter Parker.
When Sony finally does debut Peter Parker’s Spider-Man in the SSU, his transformation may be weakened and belittled by the fact that there are already other spider-like characters in the franchise. Peter Parker won’t be unique at all, taking away some of the magic of his transformation into a bona fide superhero. Madame Web may have set Spider-Man up for failure in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe by making his enhanced abilities not in the least bit special.
2 The Origins Of The Three Spider-Women Are Changed For Madame Web
Julia Cornwall, Mattie Franklin & Anya Corazon Are Very Different In Marvel Comics
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Every character in Madame Web adapted from Marvel Comics was changed significantly, including the three young future Spider-Women. Sydney Sweeney’s Julia Cornwall, Celeste O’Connor’s Mattie Franklin, and Isabela Merced’s Anya Corazon were altered massively for Madame Web, making them all mentees of Cassandra Webb with vastly different backstories. In Marvel Comics, only Mattie Franklin is taken under Madame Web’s wing, while Julia Cornwall – Julia Carpenter in Marvel Comics – later assumes Madame Web’s powers.
The changes made to the three Spider-Women in Madame Web transformed them from powerful and strong superheroes to weak and annoying teenagers. The richness of all of their backstories in Marvel Comics was completely lost in their translation into live-action. This ultimately presented three embarrassing depictions of these brilliant Spider-Women from Marvel Comics, and Madame Web didn’t even pay off their superhero transformations satisfyingly, as they still have years before becoming actual heroes as Spider-Women.
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1 Madame Web Is A Mutant In Marvel Comics
Madame Web’s Origin Story Was Changed Drastically In Live-Action
Perhaps the biggest change made to Cassandra Webb from Marvel Comics was the fact that she was not depicted as a mutant in Madame Web. Sony doesn’t have the film rights to Marvel Comics’ mutant characters, as these now reside with Disney and Marvel Studios, so Madame Web couldn’t embrace this identity in live-action. Instead of her mutation gifting her psychic and clairvoyant abilities, Cassie’s powers were explained as being the result of her pregnant mother being bitten by a spider.
This gives her more of a connection to the world of Spider-Man in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but removes a lot of the brilliant complexities of the character in Marvel Comics. Madame Web relied very heavily on spider symbolism to progress the narrative, which eventually became tedious and monotonous. Having Cassandra Webb be a mutant in Madame Web could have assuaged this, but this was simply impossible in the SSU.
Madame Web
PG-13
Action
Sci-Fi
Superhero
Madame Web is a superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Taking place in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, the movie revolves around a clairvoyant woman who can look into different dimensions. Dakota Johnson stars in the lead role, with Sydney Sweeney, Adam Scott, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor comprising the rest of the cast.
Director S.J. Clarkson Release Date February 14, 2024 Runtime 114 Minutes
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Upcoming Sony Marvel Movies |
Release Date |
|---|---|
|
Venom: The Last Dance |
October 25, 2024 |
|
Kraven the Hunter |
December 13, 2024 |