We’re just days away from the next big superhero movie, Madam Web. And while the film adaption has pulled various big names to be a part of the project from Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, and Emma Roberts, many people still aren’t sure who Madam Web is or where this latest film slots into things; don’t worry we’ve got you.
Madam Web will be following Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in New York who, in her 30s, starts to develop powers that let her see into the future. As is always the case with powers in the Marvel universe, these are a blessing and a curse. Before long, Cassandra Webb is forced to confront revelations about her past to protect three young women from a mysterious figure who wants them dead.
Now that we have the basics of the movie, let’s dive into everything you should know before sitting down in the theatre to watch it.
First, where does Madam Web fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
It’s a trick question; it doesn’t. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a series of films and TV shows based on Marvel Comics and produced by Marvel Studios. These movies and films share a universe, and often, they cross over into each other.
However, not everything slots so nicely into this shared universe and a huge chunk of the Spider-Man films, including those starring Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield and the Spider-verse franchise, don’t fall into the MCU.
Yes, these films are still based on Marvel comics, but Sony Pictures created them, and they don’t take place in the same universe as the MCU.
Instead, these films form part of the Spider-Man Universe, which also includes the Venom and Morbius films. It’s worth noting that because of the recent Multiverse arc in the MCU, there will likely be references to the MCU in Madam Web, even if it isn’t a part of the same universe – things are getting wild.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on to the most pressing questions: who exactly are the main characters in Madam Web?
Cassandra Webb a.k.a Madame Web a.k.a The Clairvoyant
- Alter ego: Cassandra Webb
- Species: Human mutant
- Abilities: Clairvoyance; Precognition; Telepathy; Gifted intellect
Cassandra Webb is a character many might not be familiar with, but one that’s been around since the 1980s when she was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man No. 210.
The Clairvoyant was a character different from those introduced before, and she became known throughout the comics as being able to predict the future of superheroes.
Throughout the years, she has been a mentor to most of the web-slinging heroes. Even to Peter Parker himself, and fittingly for her introduction into the Spider-Man Universe and MCU, The Clairvoyant was used in multiple comic storylines that feature heroes from different universes crossing over with hers.
In the comics, Cassandra Webb is mainly shown as a blind, paralyzed elderly woman, but Madam Web takes us back to when Cassandra was only developing the powers she is known for, giving us a look into her younger days and offering a fresh look at a character we’ve only ever known to be old.
Julia Carpenter A.K.A. Spider-Woman
- Alter ego: Julia Eugenia Cornwall Carpenter
- Species: Human mutant
- Team affiliations: Omega Flight; West Coast Avengers; Force Works; Freedom Force; Secret Defenders; CSA
- Notable aliases: Spider-Woman; Arachne; Madame Web
- Abilities: Superhuman strength; Wall-crawling; Ability to create webs out of psychokinetic energy; Regenerative healing factor; Clairvoyance; Precognition; Telepathy
Madam Web is Julia Carpenter’s second significant on-screen debut, with her first being introduced to viewers in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. In the comics, Julia Carpenter first appeared in Secret Wars #6 in 1984 and is best known for being the second Spider-Woman, the second Arachne and later the second Madame Web.
Julia Carpenter is a skilled athlete and a former government agent. Thanks to her connections to an organization known as the Commission, Julia undergoes experiments that grant her spider-like abilities, like the ability to cling to walls.
Mattie Franklin A.K.A. Spider-Woman
- Alter ego: Martha “Mattie” Franklin
- Species: Human mutant
- Team affiliations: Loners
- Notable aliases: Spider-Man
- Abilities: Superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina and reflexes; Flight at subsonic speeds; Invulnerability
Bio-electricity projection; Psionic spider legs and webbing; Precognitive Spider-Sense; Mild telepathy; Ability to cling to solid surfaces
Mattie Franklin is another Spider-Woman, but one with a dark and troubled origin story. Mattie Franklin is the niece of J. Jonah Jameson and the third character to be called Spider-Woman.
The character was first shown on screen in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as a member of Miguel O’Hara’s Spider-Society. She was introduced to the world in the comics in 1998 with The Spectacular Spider-Man #262. Mattie Franklin is perhaps best known for her six-issue story arc in Alias #16–21, which dives into a story filled with drugs, abuse, mental struggles and even prostitution.
Mattie Franklin takes up the mantle of Spider-Woman after the original, Jessica Drew briefly retires, and her story is marked by her struggles with identity and the challenges of living up to the legacy of the Spider-Women who have come before.
Anya Corazon A.K.A. Spider-Girl A.K.A Araña A.K.A The Hunter
- Alter ego: Anya Sofia Corazon
- Species: Human mutant
- Team affiliations: Young Allies; SHRA Training Program; WebCorps; Spider Society; Avengers Academy; Web Warriors
- Notable aliases: Spider-Girl, Araña, Arañita, The Hunter
- Abilities: Superhuman strength, coordination, balance and endurance; Ability to stick to solid surfaces; Webbing ability; Use of spider-like grappling hooks
Regardless of what name she goes by, Anya Corazon is a character first introduced to the comics in 2004 with Amazing Fantasy #1 under the pseudonym Araña, meaning spider and then later with the codename Spider-Girl.
Fans might recognise her as a main character in the animated television series Spider-Man or as a member of Miguel O’Hara’s Spider-Society in the animated feature film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
In the comics, Anya Corazon gains her powers through a mystical spider totem, granting her enhanced agility, strength and the ability to generate bio-electric blasts – bringing a supernatural element to the Spider-Man mythos.
The last character you should know about before Madam Web is Ezekiel Sims, the big bad wreaking havoc in the Spider-Women’s lives.
Ezekiel Sims A.K.A Zeke
- Alter ego: Ezekiel Sims
- Team affiliations: The Spider-Society
- Notable aliases: Zeke
- Abilities: Highly skilled businessman; Formidable hand-to-hand combatant; Superhuman strength, reaction time and resistance to injury; Extrasensory perception; Knowledge of the nature of totems; Ability to stick to any solid surface
Ezekiel “Zeke” Sims has been around since 2001, thanks to his debut in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2.
He is often seen as a supporting character in stories featuring Spider-Man and Silk, and versions of Ezekiel “Zeke” Sims from alternate timelines were also featured in the 2014 crossover event Spider-Verse.
In the comics, Ezekiel Sims is never painted as a villain; instead, he is just a complex character with ties to the mystical aspects of the Spider-Verse.
He got his powers thanks to a magic ritual involving a Spider-Totem well before Peter Parker gained his abilities. He eventually informs Peter that his superpowers are part of a much larger mystical “Web of Life” instead of a random spider bite indecent.
There, you have everything you need to know before watching Madam Web. Are you excited about the upcoming movie? Let me know in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to enter our competition for double tickets to Madam Web and a special themed hamper to round it off.