Dakota Johnson isn’t mincing words when it comes to why Madame Web tanked.
The actress recently opened up about the 2024 superhero film’s failure, making it clear she doesn’t believe the blame lies with her. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Johnson pointed the finger at a lack of creative control and decision-making by non-creatives in the film industry.
“It wasn’t my fault,” she said bluntly. “There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way.”
Dakota Johnson played Cassie Web, a paramedic who gains psychic powers after a strange accident. While the role seemed like an exciting challenge, the end result didn’t live up to expectations, either hers or the audience’s. She says the project changed dramatically after she signed on.
“With Madame Web, it started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point,” she explained. “But that happens. Bigger-budget movies fail all the time.”
The film was panned by critics and underperformed at the box office, and many viewers called it one of the weakest entries in the Sony Marvel universe. Still, Johnson doesn’t seem too fazed by the backlash.
“There’s no part of me that’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll never do that again’ to anything. I’ve done even tiny movies that didn’t do well. Who cares?” she said.
That said, Johnson has hinted she’s unlikely to dive back into the superhero genre anytime soon. In an earlier interview with Bustle, she admitted the experience was a learning moment, and one she’s not eager to repeat.
“I probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world. And I know that now,” she said. “Sometimes in this industry, you sign on to something, and it’s one thing, and then as you’re making it, it becomes a completely different thing.”
While she acknowledged it was tough being part of a film that was “ripped to shreds,” she doesn’t seem bitter about it. Instead, she’s shifting her focus to projects that are more grounded and personal.
During a recent Cannes appearance with her producing partner Ro Donnelly, Johnson criticized studio executives for playing it safe and avoiding riskier, more honest storytelling.
“Some professionals who run studios don’t feel the desire to make things that are different or risky or scary or dangerous or raw and real and human and messy,” she said.
With Madame Web in the rearview mirror, Johnson appears ready to embrace roles and projects where she has more control, and where the creative vision isn’t lost in translation.
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