Is Madame Web in the MCU?

S.J. Clarkson’s Madame Web is a Spider-Man spinoff, which begs the question: is the movie part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? 

Valentine’s Day marks the release of Madame Web, starring Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a New York paramedic who gains psychic abilities and uses her powers to protect three young women with powerful futures – two Spider-Women and a Spider-Girl (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, and Isabela Merced).

So far, the movie hasn’t had the best reviews, with some saying it’s an “embarrassing mess” and others describing it as the “worst comic book movie ever made.” But there are some positive notes, including that its “cheesy dialogue” represents its origins well. 

Whatever the case, Madame Web is the first superhero movie of 2024 – but is it also the first MCU movie of the year?

Is Madame Web in the MCU?

No, Madame Web isn’t part of the MCU. Instead, it is the latest live-action movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. 

The reason for any confusion is due to the fact that Madame Web is a Marvel Comics character. But in the late 1990s, Sony acquired the rights to Spider-Man in film. Even though Marvel reportedly offered various other characters at a low cost, the studio was only interested in Peter Parker. 

Then, in 2009, Disney bought Marvel Entertainment, and so the MCU was born. This led to Sony and Disney being in negotiations for some years over the rights to Spidey in movies, merch, and comics, eventually settling on a deal that allowed the MCU to deliver its own version of the Webslinger on screen. 

In recent years, Sony has enjoyed much success with its animated Spider-Verse films. Separately, the SSU officially launched in 2017 under a different name for its live-action titles, which so far have included Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Morbius. 

Madame Web will be the fourth SSU entry – but if reviews and reactions are anything to go by, it isn’t predicted to be a critical or commercial darling, with some suggesting that it “makes Morbius look like The Dark Knight.”

If you’d like to draw your own opinion, Madame Web drops in theaters on February 14.