Dakota Johnson’s Regret Over “Madame Web” Reception

Dakota Johnson expressed regret but not surprise at the harsh criticism received by “Madame Web.” She stated she would never participate in a similar project again.

Sony’s “Madame Web” is deemed one of the biggest failures in comic book movie history, according to NBC News. Over three weeks since its release, the film has only grossed $40 million in North America, with a global total still below $100 million. With a production budget of $80 million, S.J. Clarkson’s film was predicted to barely break even.

Critically, the film received a CinemaScore grade of C+ and a dismal 12% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Metacritic gave the film a score of 27/100, while IMDb rated “Madame Web” at 3.8/10 based on 17,000 votes.

The lackluster debut in the superhero universe has somewhat affected the career of lead actress Dakota Johnson. For her, “Madame Web” is a source of regret.

“I’m not shocked by the current downward spiral of the film,” Dakota Johnson shared with Bustle in a recent interview.

The 35-year-old star also revealed that numerous decisions made by multiple production units resulted in the final edit not being a true artistic endeavor.

“You can’t have a good film, an artistic piece, based solely on numbers and algorithms. Regardless, this was certainly a learning experience for me in the film industry. But I might never engage in a similar project because it holds no meaning for me in that world,” she said.

According to Johnson, modern audiences are highly intelligent, discerning between quality films and commercially driven, “fast food” entertainment. Even films meticulously crafted with AI technology but lacking in substance or logic fail to resonate with the majority.

Playing Madame Web, the 35-year-old actress realized that signing on to a project involves discovering that it diverges greatly from initial expectations. At these moments, she could only utter, “Wait, what?”.

Johnson sees this as a valuable lesson in maturing and adjusting decisions according to the original direction.

Previously, in an interview with L’Officiel magazine, the Hollywood actress candidly admitted that the filmmaking process nowadays is generally “very discouraging.” As she described, online platform operators no longer believe in the creativity of directors or actors, focusing solely on whether the film makes money or not.

“The truth is heartbreaking. It’s so hard to do anything for art’s sake. But regardless, all I care about is the difference, uniqueness, and progress of art,” Johnson expressed.

“Madame Web” is still showing in cinemas globally, albeit with modest daily revenues.

Maintaining Faith After Disappointment with “Madame Web”

According to Time, previously typecast as the “queen of steamy scenes” after the “Fifty Shades” series, Johnson continues to strive to overcome herself with new, edgier roles. Although Cassandra Webb in “Madame Web” may not have been well-received due to poor content, her fitting portrayal for the character cannot be overlooked.

Some critics argue that, from a positive perspective, “Madame Web” helps Johnson realize she doesn’t fit the repetitive superhero genre or need to force intense facial expressions. For genuine talents like Johnson, films demanding depth with nuanced content represent “fertile ground for her to thrive.”

Setting aside Sony’s superhero project, fans are hopeful that Johnson will take on more impressive roles akin to her portrayal of Nina in “The Lost Daughter.”

According to The Guardian, Johnson’s 2024 schedule is quite busy with new projects. In the immediate future, she and Sean Penn are preparing to reunite with audiences in the TV series “Daddio.” Produced by Sony Pictures Classics, the trailer was released on February 21, showing the two lead actors in emotionally charged dialogues.

“Daddio” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, revolving around a special taxi ride from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Manhattan. Johnson plays a passenger, while Penn portrays the taxi driver in the first film to use Volume technology—allowing for expanded camera angles, crowd duplication, or supporting character replication, alongside countless other features.

“With ‘Daddio,’ we hope Dakota will receive a more positive reception than ‘Madame Web,'” Collider commented.

Additionally, Johnson is gearing up for the lead role in the sequel to “Past Lives,” directed by Celine Song. Variety revealed that heartthrobs Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans are in negotiations with A24 to be part of this rom-com.