Sony’s “Madame Web” has had a rocky start, evidenced by its unsatisfactory 13% approval on the critical aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and a below-par 3.8/10 score on IMDB. These figures place it at the bottom of the pack when compared to its contemporaries in the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
The film’s debut weekend yielded a modest $49 million globally, including $23.4 million on its home turf and an additional $25.7 million abroad. Regrettably, this placed “Madame Web” behind not just one but five other releases, including the thought-provoking “Bob Marley: One Love” and family-friendly animated sequels such as “Boonie Bears: Time Twist.”
Critical apprehensions surrounding the film predicted a lackluster performance reminiscent of the infamous “Morbius” or even akin to the maligned 2003 production of “Daredevil.” That pre-release skepticism seems to have been validated by the box office results.
The faltering performance of “Madame Web” is symptomatic of a broader trend within the superhero genre, which appears to be suffering from audience fatigue or changing tastes. For instance, earlier entries in the SSU, such as “Morbius”, faced their share of ridicule, yet “Morbius” managed a stronger opening haul of $84 million. Additionally, “The Marvels,” the tepidly received MCU outing, still managed to pull $200 million globally during its run — with more than half of that earned in its opening weekend.
In comparison, “Madame Web” is projected to struggle throughout the remainder of its theatrical release. Historically, a film’s initial weekend is telling of its maximum commercial potential; gradual declines are expected thereafter. If “Madame Web” follows the pattern observed with “The Marvels,” failing to double its opening returns, it’s unlikely to surpass the $100 million mark. This is problematic given the film’s $80 million production budget, not accounting for significant marketing costs and theaters’ shares, estimated to require a $200 million gross for Sony to break even.
Furthermore, even when considering “Morbius'” performance, which just narrowly missed doubling its inaugural weekend gross, the outlook for “Madame Web” appears grim. If the trend holds, this latest SSU entry is predicted to become the franchise’s most underperforming title, potentially resulting in a $100 million loss for Sony.
By FF Netwrok
