Summary:
- Emma Roberts blames “Madame Web’s” box office flop on internet culture’s tendency to turn movies into jokes, affecting their reception.
- Despite negative reviews, she and co-star Dakota Johnson understand the criticisms.
Emma Roberts has shared her perspective on why “Madame Web” struggled at the box office. In a recent interview with Variety, the actress, who portrayed Mary Parker in the film, delved into the factors she believes contributed to the movie’s poor reception online.
“Things work; things don’t work,” Roberts commented.
“Everyone likes to act like they can predict if they’re going to work or they’re not. And the truth is, you can’t. Things do badly, and then they blow up later on TikTok. Things do well, but then you watch them, and you’re like, ‘This did well?’”
Directed by S.J. Clarkson, “Madame Web” is set within Sony’s Spider-Man universe and follows Cassandra “Cassie” Webb (Dakota Johnson), a paramedic who develops clairvoyance and uses her abilities to protect three young girls from a dangerous villain.
Despite its intriguing premise, the film faced a barrage of poor reviews, earning an 11% rating and a 57% audience approval score on Rotten Tomatoes after its February release.
Roberts expressed her disappointment with how modern internet culture can impact a film’s reception, saying, “There is no secret. It’s about doing something good and hitting at the right time. Everything else is like a wish and a prayer.”
She continued, “I personally really loved ‘Madame Web.’ I really enjoyed the movie. I thought everyone in it was great. The director, S.J. Clarkson, I think did an amazing job.”
“She’s the reason I wanted to do that movie. If it wasn’t for internet culture and everything being made into a joke, I think that the reception would’ve been different.”
Roberts also noted that she’s “not intimidated by failure” or “by people having negative thoughts about something” she’s done as an actor. “And that’s what bums me out about a lot of stuff, even stuff that I’ve done, is people just make such a joke out of everything now,” she added.
Dakota Johnson, who played the titular role, echoed Roberts’ sentiments, telling Bustle in March that while it’s disheartening to be part of a project that’s heavily criticized, she understands the reasons behind it.
“Of course, it’s not nice to be a part of something that’s ripped to shreds, but I can’t say that I don’t understand,” Johnson stated.
As “Madame Web” navigates its post-release journey, the conversation around its reception highlights the evolving nature of film critique and the unpredictable influence of internet culture.
