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Dakota Johnson Explains Why She'll Likely 'Never Do Anything' Like 'Madame Web' Again
Dakota Johnson will likely never do another superhero movie again after the box office debacle that was Madame Web, in which she starred as the titular hero.
Johnson played Cassandra "Cassie" Webb, a paramedic who becomes a reluctant hero after an accident leaves her with psychic abilities as a clairvoyant.
But even she couldn't have predicted that her film would bomb at the box office.
Many critics gave the Sony-Marvel film a thumbs-down, as did disappointed moviegoers who raised a fuss over the omission of a viral line-reading heard in the trailer.
Movie review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes gave Madame Web a 12% grade based on 229 reviews, with a consensus description that read:
"Madame Web's earnest approach to the title character's origin story has a certain appeal, but its predictable plot and uneven execution make for a forgettable superhero adventure."
Johnson told Bustle she wasn't fazed by all the negative buzz surrounding Madame Web.
"Unfortunately, I’m not surprised that this has gone down the way it has," acknowledged the 34-year-old daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.
When asked to elaborate, Johnson talked about the challenges involved in moviemaking, especially when committees are involved and make the big decisions.
"Art does not do well when it's made by committee," she stressed, adding:
"Films are made by a filmmaker and a team of artists around them. You cannot make art based on numbers and algorithms."
Johnson also noted that studio executives underestimate the intelligence of audiences, who can tell when they're being pandered to.
"My feeling has been for a long time that audiences are extremely smart, and executives have started to believe that they’re not."
"Audiences will always be able to sniff out bullsh*t. Even if films start to be made with AI, humans aren’t going to f*cking want to see those."
She said of her time working on Madame Web:
"It was definitely an experience for me to make that movie. I had never done anything like it before."
"I probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world. And I know that now."
Johnson shed light on a common Hollywood scenario in which a project shows promise before going into production and inevitably morphs into something else.
She explained:
"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, and you’re like, 'Wait, what?'"
"It was a real learning experience, and 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."
Some agreed Madame Web was lackluster.
Others begged to differ.
The negative reviews may have worked in the film's favor.
Overall, people admired her candor.
The failure of Madame Web wasn't lost on fellow cast members.
Johnson's co-star Sydney Sweeney, who played eventual second Spider-Woman Julia Cornwall, referenced the movie for a punchline as SNL's guest host.
“You have seen me in Anyone but You and Euphoria. You definitely did not see me in Madame Web," she remarked during her cold open monologue.