Meet a New Wave of Spider-Heroines

Sony’s plans to expand its live-action Spider-Man universe has already given us some bizarre oddities like Morbius, and it looks like we’re not stopping any time soon. Our first look at the Madame Web movie is here, and it’s not just bringing one of comics’ most peculiar Spidey supports to the big screen, but a whole host of Spider-heroines.

Starring Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb—here a young paramedic whose brush with death leads to her developing the power of foresight—Madame Web sees a bevy of new Spider-heroes hit the big screen as Cassandra finds a trio of women being hunted before their destiny comes to pass, including Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter, the second Spider-Woman, Celeste O’Connor as Mattie Franklin, the third Spider-Woman, and Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon, Spider-Girl.

Cassie, Julia, Mattie, and Anya all find themselves the target of a very peculiar villain, to boot—portrayed here as almost a Spider-Man-esque serial killer as he hunts the quartet of women across various attacks: Ezekiel Sims. Played here by Tahar Rahim, in the comics Sims is usually portrayed as an older man, with ESP as well as a host of powers similar to Spider-Man who spent his life using his powers to become a wealthy businessman. Sims is the character that helped introduce the concept of Spider-heroes as less characters twisted by random fate, and more into supernaturally-destined avatars of Spider-totems—connected across the threads of fate that Madame Web, in her various forms, has monitored over the years.

Madame Web hits theaters February 14, 2024.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Sony’s plans to expand its live-action Spider-Man universe has already given us some bizarre oddities like Morbius, and it looks like we’re not stopping any time soon. Our first look at the Madame Web movie is here, and it’s not just bringing one of comics’ most peculiar Spidey supports to the big screen, but a whole host of Spider-heroines.

Starring Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb—here a young paramedic whose brush with death leads to her developing the power of foresight—Madame Web sees a bevy of new Spider-heroes hit the big screen as Cassandra finds a trio of women being hunted before their destiny comes to pass, including Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter, the second Spider-Woman, Celeste O’Connor as Mattie Franklin, the third Spider-Woman, and Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon, Spider-Girl.

Cassie, Julia, Mattie, and Anya all find themselves the target of a very peculiar villain, to boot—portrayed here as almost a Spider-Man-esque serial killer as he hunts the quartet of women across various attacks: Ezekiel Sims. Played here by Tahar Rahim, in the comics Sims is usually portrayed as an older man, with ESP as well as a host of powers similar to Spider-Man who spent his life using his powers to become a wealthy businessman. Sims is the character that helped introduce the concept of Spider-heroes as less characters twisted by random fate, and more into supernaturally-destined avatars of Spider-totems—connected across the threads of fate that Madame Web, in her various forms, has monitored over the years.

Madame Web hits theaters February 14, 2024.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.