In Madame Web, Cassie Webb uses her newfound clairvoyant powers to protect three teenagers - and future superheroes - from the villainous Ezekiel Sims.
He sets out to kill Julia Cornwall, Mattie Franklin, and Anya Corazon before they can do the same to him, and only "Madame Web" stands in his way. The question is, who is the man beneath that sinister mask?
Earlier this month, we spoke with actor Tahar Rahim about playing Ezekiel in the latest Marvel movie from Sony Pictures. The actor talks us through how he approached the villain, confirming the comic books were a crucial part of the work he put into bringing this character to life on screen.
We also hear from Rahim on that epic battle with the three Spider-Women glimpsed in Madame Web's trailer, what the Multiverse could mean for him moving forward, and why he thinks fans will love this "standalone" and "grounded" superhero adventure.
You can check out the full interview in the player below.
Ezekiel is one of my favourite characters and I thought it was very cool that you got to wear a super suit in this movie. What was it like to wear that and did it change your approach given what a formidable look it is?
Oh yeah, it was great to wear a super suit. I mean, as an actor, as a man, and as a fan. It didn’t really change anything. The only thing I didn’t want to happen is that there would be a difference between him in a suit and then a super suit in terms of body language. So, I wanted it to be the same thing. We thought about his body language, his physicality, and the way he would move - not making figures - but the solid superhero, straightforward, strong, point A to point B is what we wanted. Boom.
There are some Spider-Man influences with some of the poses and he does have the same powers. Did you look anywhere in particular for inspiration?
There are. The comic books. I read and looked at every comic book where Ezekiel Sims appears for the body language and to understand him. I discovered that he’s barefoot which I think is so cool. Even the way he pauses when he looks down at the street or when he’s stuck to the wall, it’s different that other arachnid superheroes, right?
The lack of shoes is something comic book fans are going to appreciate, but for you as an actor, did that present any challenges on set as you’re barefoot on the street, the subway…
[Laughs] I mean, no, not really. I had those strange shoes while I was walking on the streets that look like feet. They’re like gloves for feet and were exactly the same colour as my skin just to protect my feet from, I don’t know, broken glass. It was comfortable. On the train, I was just barefoot. It’s fine. I liked walking barefoot.
A standout scene in the movie is your fight with the three Spider-Woman. What was that like to shoot?
It was great. I was aware that I wasn’t wearing a costume, so I wanted to do everything myself. We worked a lot with the stuntman and choreographers. We shot that, if my memory serves me well, a whole night doing it again and again and again. I was so tired but it was fun. The choreography was great and to see myself in an action movie, trying to do those stunts and mixing Kung-Fu with superhero style was great. It was so much fun.
Ezekiel, in this movie, is very much a villain from the start. It felt a lot, to me, like you were playing a horror character in some ways as this unstoppable force. Did you think of it like that or as a supervillain?
As a supervillain as well, but also as a human being. I couldn’t just be an out-and-out baddie. I had to find some connections and I thought of his fight for survival. That’s human. You can think about it and question yourself, wondering, ‘What would I do if my life was in danger?’ I wouldn’t chase teenagers, but he doesn’t see them as teenagers. They’re threats. They want to stop my life. What can I do to prevent it?
Did you talk to SJ Clarkson at all about why he wanted the spider and those superpowers? Were the comics in the back of your mind?
I mean, we talked about it. The fact that he struggled when he was a kid and his family might have died and he didn't want to be in this situation again. As this is the first time we see the character on screen, it had to fit with a specific story and hero, Madame Web, we created our own.
The nature of the Multiverse means you could come back as a different version of this character and perhaps be a mentor to Spider-Man. Would you like to do that and work with Tom Holland?
[Laughs] That would be cool but I think it's a question to ask the studio. Who knows what the future holds?
It must be exciting to think you could clash with him or any of those Spider-Men?
Why not? [Laughs]
Working with Dakota Johnson, you get some hard-hitting scenes both physically and emotionally, particularly in the diner. What was that back and forth like?
She’s great! She’s such a nice person and a good actress, so we had to…I was really happy to have that scene specifically because we don’t have a lot of time on screen together. I feel like, for me, that’s my favourite scene in the movie. It’s the face-off. Two opposite superheroes that have, in some ways, the same power: clairvoyance. One is using it for good and the other one, egotistically.
Ezekiel is formidable and powerful, but what did your training and preparation look like so you could effectively embody him?
Three months of training. Four or five times a week with a personal trainer and sometimes the stuntmen as well. Acrobatics, choreography, wires…it was fun. Tough, but fun.
Was there anything specifically from the comics you’d say informed your performance?
What I felt when I looked at the comic books was his way of walking. It’s very straight and, pretty often, he’d put his arms behind his back. I put that into the movie in some places.
What would you say to comic book fans about why they should watch Madame Web in cinemas this month?
Because it’s a different Marvel movie. It’s a standalone story and it’s different from the others because it’s grounded in reality and they’re gonna see a good supervillain. They’re going to have fun and see good action scenes and fights!
Madame Web arrives in cinemas this Wednesday, February 14!