Madame Web flops harder than Morbius - will Sony Pictures re-release

The superhero film 'Madame Web,' part of Sony Pictures' attempt to expand its Marvel universe, has experienced a significant box office slump, performing even worse than the company's previous 'Morbius.' Madame Web's critical reception stands at a low 15% from critics and a lukewarm 59% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Financially, the film's debut is predicted to cap at about $25 million over its first six days, falling short of Morbius's $39 million domestic opening. Dakota Johnson, the star of Madame Web, seems to have indirectly criticized the film and the producers during her press appearances. Sony Pictures is expected to release 'Kraven the Hunter' and 'Venom 3' next, both of which are anticipated to fare better at the box office.

Yes, 'Madame Web' is seen as a financial and critical disappointment, failing to meet box office projections and receiving negative reviews from both critics and audiences.

'Madame Web' is tied to the Spider-Man universe but, like 'Venom' and 'Morbius,' does not feature Spider-Man himself. It is an attempt by Sony Pictures to enrich their catalog of Marvel characters with standalone movies. The film's performance is particularly disheartening for the studio given the combined star power of Dakota Johnson and the general audience's love for Marvel-related productions. Sony's broader strategy involves building out a shared universe of Marvel characters, similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe but isolated to the characters Sony holds the rights to. These characters primarily stem from the Spider-Man comics, as Sony retains film rights to many of Spider-Man's supporting characters and adversaries.