What is Sony Pictures' new film 'Madame Web' about?

Sony Pictures' film 'Madame Web' has confirmed its release date in the US for February 14th. This film features female characters who were supporting characters in Marvel Comics' 'Spider-Man' as the main protagonists.

Naturally, since it's a Sony production, it's expected to be unrelated to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, with only one MCU film slated for release in 2024, it could be a welcome addition for those craving Marvel movies.

The movie is set in New York in 2003. Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson), a firefighter, suddenly develops the ability to see the future. She witnesses a future where a mysterious individual with abilities similar to Spider-Man attacks three women. Cassandra sets out to find these three women and protect them from the future threat.

The identity of the person in the black Spider-Man suit is Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim). For unknown reasons, he has been eliminating individuals who will potentially develop abilities similar to Spider-Man in the future. The three women Cassandra saw are all potential candidates for becoming Spider-Women.

Based on the trailer, it seems like Cassandra and the three potential Spider-Women will undergo a process of gaining spider-like abilities to stop Ezekiel.

This movie is part of Sony-Columbia Pictures' attempt to establish its own Spider-Man universe. Sony made a similar attempt in 2014 with 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2,' but the film didn't achieve significant success, leading to the leasing of the Spider-Man rights to Marvel Studios.

However, Sony's independent Spider-Man universe hasn't been particularly successful. While the two 'Venom' films performed reasonably well at the box office, they received harsh criticism. In particular, 'Morbius,' centered on a Spider-Man villain, became an object of ridicule rather than a success. There are concerns that 'Madame Web' might follow the same path.

Nevertheless, this film is expected to garner considerable attention in theaters in February. It's particularly noteworthy as Dakota Johnson's first superhero film appearance, which is generating a lot of buzz. She starred in the 2015 film 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and has since appeared in various films and TV series.