10 Ways The Madame Web Movie Can Totally Change Sony’s Spider-Man Universe

Sony’s Madame Web movie could be a total game-changer for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. It’s no secret that Sony’s interconnected universe is somewhat bizarre and ambiguous. After all, it currently features Spider-Man villains even though it’s as-of-yet unknown if a previous or new live-action Spider-Man calls this universe home. However, Madame Web is set to feature a collection of new heroes while also having the potential to change Sony’s universe in multiple ways (likely for the better).

Set for release in February 2024, Sony’s Madame Web recently released its first trailer. As such, there’s now a much clearer idea of what the movie will be about, which heroes and villains will be introduced, and what the movie may offer in terms of the greater universe Sony Pictures has created. To that end, here are 10 ways in which Madame Web could be a total game-changer for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

10 Spider-Man Is Teased To Appear In Madame Web

Is Peter Parker In The Movie?

As seen in Madame Web’s first trailer, Dakota Johnson is playing Cassandra Web, the titular clairvoyant who can see the future before it happens. As a result, it will be her responsibility to protect a trio of future Spider-Women from being hunted down by the film’s antagonist, the classic Marvel Comics character Ezekiel Sims whose live-action counterpart seems to have a darker streak as an evil version of Spider-Man (complete with a sinister suit). However, there is also a quick shot that may be teasing Spider-Man’s involvement in Madame Web. Naturally, this would mean that Sony’s universe will finally get its Spider-Man (though it could certainly be another spider-themed character).

9 Madame Web Can Explain The Sony Universe’s Place In The Multiverse

How Does It Connect To Other Franchises?

Madame Web also has the opportunity to connect with the rest of the multiverse, especially the Spider-Verse as it’s depicted in Sony’s animated films. Currently, there has yet to be any direct connection between Sony’s live-action movies and the Spider-Verse movies, though perhaps Madame Web can change that. Considering Madame Web’s history in the original Marvel Comics as a critical multiversal figure when it comes to Spider-Man comics, it would be rather fitting if she served as a bridge in the movies as well.

8 Madame Web Sets Up A Justification For Any Previous Sony Universe Confusion

Like Michael Keaton’s Vulture

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has had a somewhat rocky start when it comes to its live-action films. This includes a lack of Spider-Man himself, timeline issues, and most notably the bizarre nature of Michael Keaton’s Vulture from the MCU who now resides in the Sony universe thanks to Morbius’ post-credits scene. As a result, the nature of Madame Web and the attempt being made to rewrite history and the future could provide a means for Sony to smooth things out within the continuity itself. There’s even a Madame Web Spider-Man theory suggesting the movie’s status as a prequel while also explaining the Webslinger’s absence in the universe thus far.

7 Madame Web Can Offer A New Take On Uncle Ben After 11 Years

Adam Scott May Be Playing A Younger Ben Parker

It’s been just over a decade since the last live-action Uncle Ben was seen (played by Martin Sheen in 2012’s Amazing Spider-Man). To that end, Madame Web has reportedly cast Adam Scott as a young Ben Parker, Spider-Man’s future uncle. While Scott is briefly shown working alongside Cassandra Webb as a fellow paramedic, his name is never said. At any rate, a younger Uncle Ben would certainly be an interesting and new take on the character, one that perhaps shows the origins of his key philosophy about power and responsibility he’d eventually pass on to his nephew.

6 Madame Web Can Flesh Out The Web of Life and Destiny

How Does Cassandra Connect To The Web?

While it’s not yet clear how or from where Cassandra gets her powers in the upcoming movie, it stands to reason that she’ll be connected to the Great Web of Life and Destiny. Having first been shown in Across the Spider-Verse, the Great Web is a unique construct of the multiverse specifically focused on every reality’s Spider-themed heroes whose lives can all be observed by Madame Web herself. As such, the Madame Web movie could certainly flesh out this concept even further once Cassandra starts seeing the future and destiny puts her in contact with future Spider-heroes.

5 Spider-Totems May Play A Big Role (And Set Up Kraven)

Is Sony Going All-In On The Totem Concept?

Another key concept from the comics involving both Madame Web and Ezekiel Sims is the idea of totemic avatars within the multiverse, specifically those of spiders and other animals as well. As such, Spider-Man himself is just one of many totemic avatars connected across the Great Web. Ezekiel himself is another avatar with spider powers of his own he received via a ritual conducted within an ancient temple dedicated to the Spider-God Anansi (something the Madame Web trailer has teased for both Cassandra and Ezekiel’s on-screen origins).

However, the idea of totems for Sony’s Spider-Man universe could also connect to the Kraven the Hunter movie. The Spider-Man villain’s own on-screen origins suggest he may become the totemic avatar of a lion based on what’s seen in the trailers. As such, Madame Web could certainly lay the groundwork for the upcoming Kraven movie by explaining the totem concept first.

4 Madame Web Could Set Up A Live-Action Spider-Verse Movie

The Movie Will Introduce 5 Key Spider Heroes

Madame Web will be introducing four major Spider-Heroes in one movie. Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb (Madame Web), Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter (Spider-Woman), Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon (Spider-Girl), and Celeste O’Connor as Mattie Franklin (Spider-Woman). Likewise, Tahar Rahim’s Ezekiel Sims is not a villain in the comics as he’s presented to be in this upcoming Sony movie, so perhaps he ends up being redeemed by its end. Either way, Madame Web is introducing a good number of spider-themed characters who could have future roles in a potential Spider-Verse movie, either a new live-action crossover or perhaps making the jump to animation with appearances in Beyond the Spider-Verse.

3 Madame Web Can Introduce Marvel’s Biggest Spider-Verse Villains

The Movie Could Be Teasing The Inheritors

It’s interesting to note that the Madame Web trailer seemingly features Mattie Frankin’s life force being drained when Ezekiel touches her. This power is more in line with Morlun, a vampiric character in the comics known as an Inheritor who seeks to drain the forces of Spider-Totems across the Spider-Verse. He’s also the very figure Ezekiel attempts to protect Spider-Man and other Spider-Totems from on the page, so perhaps Sony is flipping the script by either making Ezekiel an Inheritor instead or having him be possessed by the Inheritors, thereby setting them up as a future threat in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

2 Madame Web Can Lay The Foundation For The Sinister Six

The Villain-Team Could Finally Happen

Sony Pictures has tried for years to get a Sinister Six movie off the ground where Spider-Man’s classic villains team up as they do in the original comics. However, Morbius‘ post-credits scene did tease a future team-up between Vulture and Morbius, an indication that Sony still wants to make a Sinister Six movie that perhaps includes Tom Hardy’s Venom and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven as well. As such, Madame Web could certainly be used to continue that set-up for the future.

1 Madame Web Could Connect The Sony Universe To Avengers: Secret Wars

Additional Spider-Heroes Are A Big Hope For The Multiversal Crossover

Considering the massive hope that Spider-Heroes such as Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions of Spider-Man will return to the MCU for Avengers: Secret Wars, perhaps Madame Web can serve as a foundation that starts building toward that idea. At the very least, it could start connecting its new Spider-Women and Madame Web herself to the Avengers movie as well, providing the major multiversal crossover with even more spider-themed heroes to assist Tom Holland’s Spider-Man than were seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home.