The first trailer for Sony’s “Madame Web” has arrived, and Dakota Johnson’s Cassandra Webb is stressed. Of course, that could be because she’s suddenly seeing the future and meeting a whole lot of superpowered spider-people — both good and bad.
The trailer begins with Johnson entering a diner, demanding three young girls — Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor — grab their things and leave with her. Of course, that’s quickly interrupted when a man in a spider suit enters and attacks. That man is Ezekiel Sims, a villain often associated with Spider-Man and Silk.
He seemingly kills Cassandra Webb — until he doesn’t. Suddenly, she’s back outside the diner, ominously declaring “Let’s try that again.”
You can watch the trailer for the movie in the video above.
So, is Madame Web a time traveler? No. She’s just clairvoyant, and newly so. After an accident while on a call as a paramedic, she develops these powers. She’s connected to all three girls, but it’s unclear exactly how.
All we know is that they’re all headed for superpowered futures themselves, and the trailer gives very quick glimpses into what that’ll look like.
In the comics, Julia Carpenter (Sweeney) had a few identities, as the second Spider-Woman, then later as the second Arachne, and then eventually as the second Madame Web. Anya Corazon (Merced) is known in the comics as Spider-Girl. Mattie Franklin (O’Connor) also takes up the mantle of Spider-Woman in the comics as well.
How exactly this ties into Sony’s “Venom” and the “Spider-Man” movies starring Tom Holland — which of course are joint projects with Marvel — is the big question. And, for now at least, the answer is that “Madame Web” takes place in another universe.
SJ Clarkson directs the film, co-penning the story with Claire Parker, with a story by Kerem Sanga. Adam Merims and Parker are co-executive producers.
In addition to Johnson, Sweeney, Merced and O’Connor, the “Madame Web” cast includes Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott.
“Madame Web” will be released in theaters on February 14, 2024.