Sony Pictures' Madame Web has not been having a easy time of things since it arrived in theaters earlier this week, and while the studio's latest SSU movie did come in at the higher end of its pre-weekend estimates, it still marks the worst opening for any Sony Spider-Man spin-off yet (even Morbius managed $39.1M over its three-day debut).
Bob Marley biopic One Love easily won the weekend with $27.7 million over the traditional weekend and $51 million during the six-day holiday stretch, leaving Madame Web to claim second place with $17.6 million over the traditional weekend and $25.8 million during the same six-day period.
Overseas numbers aren't much better, but the Dakota Johnson-led superhero flick is still expected to reach $50 million worldwide. Not a disastrous start on the surface, but with a reported budget of $80 million (not counting promotion and theater costs), the movie has a long road ahead if it hopes to break even.
Dire reviews (it's currently sitting at 13% on Rotten Tomatoes) certainly didn't help, but audiences will often embrace movies that weren't well-received by critics. Not in this instance, as Madame Web was also hit with a rare C+ CinemaScore.
We don't know where another flop would leave "Sony's Spider-Man Universe," but they didn't seem too discouraged by Morbius' failings. The studio also has a third Venom movie slated for Nov. 8, 2024, and Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, coming on Aug. 30, 2024. El Muerto, which was set to star Bad Bunny, has reportedly been dropped from the schedule.
"'Meanwhile, in another universe...'" reads the official synopsis, "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."
S.J. Clarkson, who also helmed Marvel’s Jessica Jones and The Defenders, directs from a script by Matt Sazama, Kerem Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Adam Merims executive produced.
Have you been to see Madame Web yet? If so, do you think the reactions have been harsh, or does it fully deserve such a negative response? Drop us a comment down below, and click here to find out what Johnson had to say about returning for a potential sequel.