Sony has a history of terrible ideas, and Dakota Johnson confirming her Madame Web casting proves that. What are some past terrible ideas? Well, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Ghostbusters: Answer The Call, that idea for an Aunt May spy movie, and the still rumored movie based on the Sinister Six villain team all come to mind quickly. Also, maskless Venom in Spider-Man 3, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, and After Earth. Okay, so what makes the Madame Web project such a bad idea? Almost everything.
A Brief History of Madame Web
We can’t discuss why a solo Web project is a bad idea without discussing where the character comes from. The Cassandra Web version (pictured above) was created in 1980 by Dennis O’Neil and John Romita Jr. She is depicted as an elderly blind woman that is afflicted by the neurological disorder, myasthenia gravis, that causes limited to no movement of voluntary muscles. She developed strong psychic abilities and gets involved in several important Spider-Man stories. Remember those details, she’s old, blind, and physically limited.
Now, the Julia Carpenter version (pictured below) was created in 1984 by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck. However, she wasn’t Madame Web until 2010. While the character was temporarily paralyzed as Spider-Woman, she regained her movement naturally, but she wasn’t blinded until taking on the Madame Web role from Cassandra Webb. She is younger though, and that is the only thing Dakota has in common with either of these characters.
So What? Charlie Cox Isn’t Blind!
I hear you, and I agree. I am not one of the countless on Twitter raging about disabled people playing disabled people. AND I’M DISABLED! There are not many blind actors in Hollywood and not many I can find of note on stage either. There are a few though. Also, there are dangers for people with disabilities doing big movies like this, especially in a lead role. You don’t have to like reality, but you do have to accept it in this case. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s 2022. The West demands that every group, no matter the size of the group, be played by someone from that group. It’s the number one reason more minority (not just racial but demographically in general) stories aren’t told, THERE ISN’T ENOUGH ACTORS TO PULL FROM. Also, there’s the whole danger thing I mentioned earlier.
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This means that Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web casting is fine for the blind, but otherwise able-bodied, Julia Carpenter. It shouldn’t be controversial for this actress to play a role that could be potentially hard to cast and would see a stunt person in a mask fulfill almost every costumed scene like Taskmaster in Black Widow. Again, we don’t have to like reality, but we must accept it.
Why Else Is This A Bad Idea?
Outside of the comics, side characters don’t do well. It’s why they don’t have cartoons all to themselves at the least. Julia’s storied history from Spider-Woman to Archane, and now Madame Web, requires too much movie to tell in a coherent way. You have to take her from college experiment to Madame Web really fast. Knowing Sony, they’ll spend a lot of time with her in that spy organization they’ll likely tie May too. Also, these villains and supporting characters are who they are in fans’ minds because of their interactions with Spider-Man. None of them should be introduced on their own. On that note, it should be mentioned that Sony hasn’t made an official comment on when we will first see Web or her movie’s release date. We could see her appear in one of the upcoming Sony/Marvel movies.
What do you think of Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web casting? Do we need a Madame Web movie at all? Let us know in the comments below!
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