A new update about Sony Pictures' upcoming Madame Web may offer fans reason to worry about reviews for the Spider-Man spin-off.
Despite this being a Sony Spider-Man spin-off without Spider-Man himself - in the vein of Venom and Morbius - Madame Web will introduce fans to a brand new, "standalone world" when it hits theaters on February 14.
The Marvel movie stars Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney and Adam Scott, among other well-known names, and will center around Johnson's character, Cassandra Webb.
Despite its interesting premise and strong cast, though, fans may already be concerned about its overall quality, given it is confirmed to be written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, the screenwriters behind the notoriously failed Morbius.
Madame Web Gets Concerning Review Update
According to Richard Neto of The Hollywood Handle, the review embargo for Sony Pictures' upcoming Madame Web will lift at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 13.
This means the first reviews of the movie will only be released as early as the day before the movie's theatrical debut on Wednesday, February 14.
Though not necessarily the case, an embargo lift so close to a movie's release can indicate a lack of confidence in the project from studios, possibly since there is less time for negative reviews to circulate before public release.
This same thing happened to the DCEU's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in December, which proved to be a relatively disappointing end to the SnyderVerse.
[ Is Madame Web an MCU Movie? Marvel Connections Explained ]
What Could Go Wrong for Madame Web?
In the current era of superhero fatigue, and less-than-well-received projects from even the most successful superhero franchises, many fans may find themselves simply confused as to why Sony appears to be doubling down on its live-action Spider-Verse.
Despite this, following Madame Web Sony is still planning to release Venom 3, Kraven the Hunter, and El Muerto.
Granted, the Venom franchise, at the very least, does have its fans. But, if Sony does not redeem itself from Morbius, any future live-action Spider-Verse project from Sony Pictures could be tinted by the notorious double-flop.
That is not to say that no one is excited for Madame Web. There are certainly many fans who are looking forward to the Spider-Man-adjacent story and many who are simply craving a Marvel fix, since the only MCU movie releasing in 2024 will be Deadpool 3 in July.
Madame Web hits theaters on Wednesday, February 14.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
