Why Dakota Johnson Found Shooting Madame Web 'Absolutely Psychotic'
Sony's Spider-Man Universe (or the SSU, for short) is about to expand once again with the release of "Madame Web," which was apparently a very unique experience for star Dakota Johnson. The franchise, which began with "Venom" in 2018 and has continued with films like "Morbius" and the upcoming "Kraven the Hunter," has yet to bring its different pieces together into any kind of cohesive whole, and its relationship to the Tom Holland-led Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movies remains somewhat confusing.
It sounds like filming "Madame Web" may have been equally confusing for Johnson, who doesn't have much experience with big action movies. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Johnson explained that her character Cassie Webb's powers made for a complicated shooting schedule. Because Cassie can see into the future, they shot multiple versions of similar scenes with different outcomes — some of which are only used in the film as visions, while others become reality. Keeping track of which take was which was a challenge at times, Johnson said, but helmer S.J. Clarkson — a former director and executive producer on "Jessica Jones" — helped her keep it all straight.
According to Johnson, another complicating factor was all of the CGI that went into the big set-piece scenes. "I've never really done a movie where you are on a blue screen, and there's fake explosions going off, and someone's going, 'Explosion!' and you act like there's an explosion," the star said. "That to me was absolutely psychotic. I was like, 'I don't know if this is going to be good at all! I hope that I did an okay job!'"
Strong direction helped keep Dakota Johnson centered on Madame Web
Acting in a major CGI blockbuster for the first time can be a jarring experience, no matter how talented the performer is. When the actors can't see what they're interacting with or responding to, even more responsibility falls on the director's shoulders to make sure they carry the point home. Such was the case on the set of "Madame Web," according to Dakota Johnson. "I trusted her so much," she told Entertainment Weekly, referring to director S.J. Clarkson. "She works so hard, and she has not taken her eyes off this movie since we started." For hopeful fans, that's encouraging to hear. The marketing campaign for "Madame Web" hasn't exactly been met with universal excitement, and a few choice trailer lines quickly turned into memes on the Internet.
The film faces something of an uphill battle, largely due to the SSU's previous performance record. Neither of the "Venom" films have been critical darlings, and "Morbius" has become one of the most lambasted comic movies ever made — Sony rereleased it in cinemas just months after its initial poor run and, unsurprisingly, it flopped for a second time. Of course, trailers can't tell the whole "Madame Web" story, and the film has plenty going for it. Its relative independence from other comic book movies might make it an appealing standalone installment, and Johnson is flanked by a number of talented young stars including "Euphoria" alum Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O'Connor.
After Madame Web, Dakota Johnson is ready for more action movies
Though "Madame Web" and its specific production demands were occasionally challenging for Dakota Johnson, she says that the experience has prepared her for more action-heavy movies going forward. Her filmography up until this point has mostly consisted of comedies and dramas that rely far less on extravagant effects and stunt work — movies like "The Peanut Butter Falcon," "Bad Times at the El Royale," and the "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy.
Now, though, she's ready to diversify. In her interview with Entertainment Weekly, Johnson revealed that she especially loved filming a sequence for "Madame Web" that involved her character crashing a car into a restaurant. "I didn't get to actually drive it into the diner, which is really a bummer," she told the outlet. "I really wanted to, but I guess they don't want to put their lead actor in actual danger, unless you're Tom Cruise." Still, being around and participating in these kinds of stunt sequences opened Johnson up to the possibility of doing more later on. "I'm getting there!" she added.