Emma Roberts blames “internet culture” for ‘Madame Web’ failure
As part of a new conversation, Emma Roberts has shared her view on the apparent failure of Madame Web the Spider-Man franchise off-shoot that has received widespread criticism.
In recent weeks, as Madame Web found its way onto streaming services, the movie has been considered one of the worst releases under the Spider-Man umbrella, with lead Dakota Johnson distancing herself from the project.
Johnson said that while it was “definitely an experience” making the movie, the blockbuster arena was not somewhere she “makes sense” as an artist. “I had never done anything like it before,” she admitted, “I probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world. And I know that now.”
However, Roberts felt slightly differently about the project. “Things work; things don’t work,” the actor reflected when speaking to Variety. “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.”
She continued: “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?’ There is no secret. It’s about doing something goodish and it hitting at the right time. Everything else is like a wish and a prayer.”
As well as saying that she was not “intimidated by failure” Roberts confessed: “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.”
As for the reason behind the movie’s apparent failure, Roberts felt there was one area of society that can saddle a fair amount of the blame. “If it wasn’t for internet culture and everything being made into a joke, I think that the reception would’ve been different,” Roberts conceded. “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.”
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