Arranging a cinematic superhero universe isn't that hard. Those who have tried and failed had everything they needed. There's no secret formula. The studio needs to produce a few decent introductory solo projects, then build to a team-up. Greed is the cause of the failures. Sony needs a chance to start over. Madame Web seems like a weird pitch for a film, but it could be the launchpad of a new SSU.
So far, the Sony Spider-Man Universe has attempted a controversial tactic. They don't have all the rights to the beloved hero they want to use, so they've relied on converting his rogues gallery into anti-heroes. Venom was a great first choice, though his films didn't work well. Morbius was a tremendous failure that offered entertainment value by dying twice. They've got Kraven the Hunter on the way, but Madame Web represents their first sharp change in strategy.
Madame Web is Sony's next Spider-Verse project
Writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless were hired to write Madame Web in 2019. The writing duo is known for such classic action films as Dracula Untold, Gods of Egypt, and The Last Witch Hunter. They earned the position after Sony saw their work on Morbius. All of those previous credits are terrible omens of things to come. They do have one project of significant quality under their belt. They developed Netflix's Lost in Space. To be charitable, Sazama and Sharpless have a mixed record. Director S. J. Clarkson was brought onto the project in 2020. Madame Web will be her second feature film. She's better known for her work on TV shows. She contributed episodes to everything from EastEnders to Dexter. Most recently, she directed all six episodes of Anatomy of a Scandal for Netflix. Clarkson has worked in the superhero genre a few times. She directed two episodes each of Heroes, Jessica Jones, and The Defenders. The creative team may not inspire much hope, but its structure suggests fresh ideas.
Madame Web can introduce a different Spider-hero
Madame Web is an unorthodox choice to lead a superhero movie. She's usually a supporting character in Spider-Man stories. Cassandra Webb is a powerful psychic born with a debilitating neuromuscular illness. She stays in a life-support system shaped like a giant spider web. Cassandra is a medium who offers her services to heroes and innocents. Madame Web has been described as the SSU's Doctor Strange because of the hero's strange powers. Her psychic gifts are described in Sony's press releases as the ability to see into the "spider-world." Cassandra is sometimes depicted as a younger woman. She uses a wheelchair during one event, allowing her to leave her confinement. The film will likely give Dakota Johnson some room to move around in her take on the character, but she won't be the one doing the action scenes.
Sydney Sweeney has been cast in Madame Web as Julia Carpenter. Carpenter becomes the second Spider-Woman and, later, the second Madame Web. She was brought into a government experiment that gave her powers similar to Spider-Man. Instead of physical developments or wearable technology, Carpenter spins webs, crawls on walls, and senses attackers with psychic abilities. She became a valued member of multiple superhero teams and fought several supervillains. When Madame Web died, she passed on her powers to Julia Carpenter. Carpenter loses her sight but gains immense psychic powers. She's a traveling oracle, frequently giving heroes the best path forward to prevent unforeseen disasters. As Spider-Woman, she could be the centerpiece of Sony's superhero efforts.
Sony can build its live-action universe around Spider-Woman
Sony has been pushing the idea of a Sinister Six cinematic universe. It hasn't been working out. They need a strong central superhero for their superhero franchise. Venom, Morbius, and Kraven aren't going to carry that weight. Julia Carpenter could be the hero of their universe. Fans might not know about her now, but that didn't stop Miles Morales from becoming an icon in Into the Spider-Verse. Madame Web can introduce the broad strokes of the Sony Spider-Man Universe again with Spider-Woman at its center. She'll have her own allies, enemies, and challenges to conquer. It's a solution so obvious that a company as myopic as Sony might even notice it.
Madame Web has Dakota Johnson's character's name in the title, but it could easily be Julia Carpenter's movie. Both are lesser-known figures in the comics, but boldly pushing forward with a new hero could change everything. Spider-Woman could be the first step in dragging the SSU toward something functional. Once she's introduced in Madame Web, she could lead her own solo project or three. Keep her around. Build a franchise around her. Bring other Spider-Women into the fold. Sell this franchise as the hub for superhero movies led by ladies. In a year, fans should call this the Sony Spider-Woman Universe as they sing its praises.