Although the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home showed that the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Sony’s Spider-Man Universe are connected through the multiverse, the latter franchise is still basicyllystanding on its own with delivering centered around characters from the comics connected to the Web-Slinger. Among the upcoming movies on the horizon in this corner of the superhero movie market is Madame Web, which stars Fifty Shades’ Dakota Johnson in the title role, but so far none of the characters her costars are playing have been officially identified. However, a new rumor has surfaced which reveals that there are supposedly some major Spider-Man players showing up in this superhero movie.
Starting off, Cosmic Circus reports that while Dakota Johnson is playing a younger take on Cassandra Webb, she won’t be the only Madame Web, or even the only Spider-heroine, appear in the Madame Web movie. Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney, who was revealed to be in Madame Web back in March, is apparently playing Julia Carpenter, whose comic book counterpart originally fought crime as Spider-Woman and later inherited the Madame Web mantle after Cassandra died. Speaking of Spider-Woman, allegedly Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s Celeste O’Connor is playing the Mattie Franklin incarnation of that superhero, while Father of the Bride’s Isabela Merced is participating as Anya Corazon, who’s gone by Araña and Spider-Girl in the comics. Assuming all this information is accurate, it’s unclear if any of these three women will have special abilities or simply be depicted as non-powered women in Cassandra’s life.
Now here’s where things get particularly wild. Allegedly Severance’s Adam Scott is playing Ben Parker, a.k.a. Uncle Ben, a.k.a. Peter Parker’s father figure who’s murder shortly after Peter is bitten by that spider that gives him powers. Furthermore, Scream Queens’ Emma Roberts is said to be starring as Mary Parker. No, I didn’t mean to type May Parker, a.k.a. Peter Parker’s Aunt May, I’m talking about Mary, Peter’s mother. Assuming Mary is indeed appearing in Madame Web, it’s unclear at this time who’s playing her husband and Peter’s father, Richard Parker.
Adam Scott’s casting as Ben Parker might sound weird considering that he’s younger than the character is usually depicted, but this would actually track with some Madame Web set photos that emerged in mid-July that indicated this movie, at least partially, will be set in the early 2000s. So assuming a young Spider-Man were active in the present, then having Ben appear as a younger man would make sense, as would seeing Emma Roberts as Mary Parker. In fact, a separate batch of Madame Web set photos showed that Roberts’ character is pregnant, meaning that this version of Peter Parker isn’t far off from coming into the world.
Assuming for the sake of argument that Madame Web is set entirely in the early 2000s rather than just through flashbacks, then not only am I wondering exactly how Ben and Mary are tied to Cassandra Webb and these other characters, but I’m also curious if the events in this movie somehow pave the way for Peter Parker to be left in the care of his aunt and uncle. Traditionally Richard and Mary die in a plane crash, although the circumstances behind said crash differ depending on what story you’re reading/watching. Regardless, if these character details end up being true, then Madame Web will be the first Sony Spider-Man Universe movie to have members of the Parker family appear, perhaps teasing that this franchise will eventually spotlight its own version of Peter.
In addition to the aforementioned actors, the Madame Web cast also includes Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps and Zosia Mamet. The movie is now slotted on the 2023 release schedule for October 6, meaning it will arrive nine months after the next Sony Spider-Man Universe movie, Kraven the Hunter.
