Everything to know from Marvel Comics before watching Madame Web

Three young women stand on a subway platform, looking shocked. An adult woman stands slightly behind them, on guard.

Sony’s newest Marvel movie is about a spider-themed hero, but without the web-slinging or super-strength. Madame Web follows Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson), an ordinary New York City paramedic who learns she has precognitive powers after a near-death experience. After being struck with visions of a mysterious man attacking three teenage girls, Cassandra attempts to help them and also unravel her own mysterious past.

How does Madame Web connect to Spider-Man, Venom, or any of the other Sony-affiliated Marvel characters? Is there a post-credits scene? We’re here to answer the obvious questions.


Image: Sony Pictures

Is Madame Web an MCU movie?

Nope. There are no direct references to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the film.

Is Madame Web in the same world as Venom and Morbius?

Sony has progressively downplayed the film’s connections to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, removing its Spider-Verse-style “Meanwhile, in another universe” bumpers from the film in post-production. As of this January, according to director S.J. Clarkson, Madame Web is set in its own world, unconnected to past Spider-Man movies.

So is Spider-Man in Madame Web?

Er. Not officially. But it is heavily implied that some version of Peter Parker will exist in this universe. Adam Scott plays Ben Parker, who is heavily implied to be that Ben Parker — a younger version of Peter’s Uncle Ben. Emma Roberts plays Ben’s pregnant sister-in-law Mary, destined to be Peter Parker’s mom.

Does Madame Web have a credits scene?

Nope! Once the credits start to roll, you can abscond from the theater without worrying that you’re going to miss the resolution of a plotline, or any future teases.

What Marvel comic is Madame Web from?

Madame Web, aka Cassandra Webb, isn’t exactly one of Marvel’s movers and shakers. A minor character in Spider-Man lore, she first appeared in 1980’s Amazing Spider-Man #210.

Will there be a Madame Web 2, or other movies with these characters?

Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter, looking up at the ceiling in Grand Central

Image: Sony Pictures

Nope, at least not in these incarnations. Theoretically, Sony has a Spider-Woman-focused film in development with Olivia Wilde, but little has been seen of it since it was announced in 2020. And the company is currently shooting a season of Silk: Spider Society, a TV series following Cindy Moon, the spider-hero known as Silk.

But those are just similar “female spider-person” projects. Cassandra Webb, Julia Cornwall, Mattie Franklin, Anya Corazon, and the actresses who portrayed them are not attached to those productions.

Who are the three young Spider-Women in Madame Web?

Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney in the movie) is known as Julia Carpenter in the comics. She first made a cameo appearance in Secret Wars #6 as a villain, but eventually joined up with the heroes. She most often uses the moniker Spider-Woman, but occasionally has gone by Arachne.

Mattie Franklin, played by Celeste O’Connor in the movie, had her first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #441, though she appeared in the shadows of The Spectacular Spider-Man #262 a month prior.

Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced in the movie) first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #1 as Araña, and later took up the mantle of Spider-Girl in Young Allies #5.

Madame Web is out in theaters now.

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