Filmbit Magazine – June 6, 2025
Dakota Johnson has broken her silence on the disastrous performance of Madame Web, the Marvel spin-off that flopped both critically and commercially in early 2024. In a recent interview with the LA Times, Johnson made it clear that the film’s failure was not her doing, pointing fingers at the decision-makers behind the scenes.
“It wasn’t my fault,” Johnson said bluntly. “There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee—or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way.”
The film, which also starred Sydney Sweeney and Emma Roberts, was quickly ridiculed upon release, earning just 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4/10 on IMDb. It went on to sweep the Razzies, where Johnson was named ‘Worst Actress’ and the film itself was awarded ‘Worst Picture’.
Looking back, Johnson described the film as a one-time experience. “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,” she previously told Bustle.
Her co-star Sydney Sweeney echoed similar sentiments, telling the LA Times last year, “I was just hired as an actress in it, so I was just along for the ride.”
Now, Johnson is turning the page. She’ll next appear in Materialists, the upcoming feature from Past Lives director Celine Song, starring alongside Pedro Pascal and Chris Pratt. The film is set for release in the UK and Ireland on August 16.
Big-budget failures may be inevitable in Hollywood, but Johnson seems intent on regaining her creative footing—this time, on her own terms.