It's safe to say that the general audience loves Marvel movies. Granted, they aren't all the formidable forces that they were in the 2010s, but the right one coming out at the right time when the stars align in the right way can very easily be one of the most successful movies of the year (oh hey, Deadpool and Wolverine!). And we have the enduring appeal of Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe to thank for that.
From the moment that Iron Man burst onto the scene in 2010, history was made as the general audiences became more and more familiar with a wide variety of Marvel characters. That doesn't, however, mean that every single movie based on a Marvel character is part of the MCU.
With the exception of the films that predate the MCU (like the Spider-Man and X-Men movies), the live-action Marvel movies that aren't produced by Marvel Studios are really quite infamous. And now, one of the most infamous of them all is finally coming to Disney Plus.
Madame Web is finally making its way to Disney Plus in November
Madame Web is finally set to join the vast majority of Marvel movies when it spins a web onto its new streaming home next month. The 2024 film is set to debut on the Disney Plus streaming service on November 14 - the same day that it leaves Netflix, its current streaming home. And with that, a whole new audience of Marvel and Disney fans can enjoy the infamous flick for the first time ever.
Starring Dakota Johnson as the titular superhero, alongside a star-studded cast that also includes the likes of Isabela Merced, Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott, Madame Web was a part of Sony Pictures' infamous live-action Spider-Verse of movies (which also consisted of the Venom trilogy, Morbius and, eventually, Kraven the Hunter). None of the movies were critical hits and only the Venom trilogy managed to be successful at the box office (though the takings did significantly decrease after each film), meaning that Morbius, Kraven, and indeed Madame Web all flopped at the box office.
But Madame Web would find new life on Netflix, going on to become an unexpected hit there as audiences began streaming the movie. Was it out of curiosity? A long-awaited rewatch? Or perhaps the hopes of hearing that oddly iconic Amazon line from the trailers that famously wasn't even in the movie? Who knows, but Madame Web generated a lot of interest on Netflix, so there is no reason to think it won't do the same on Disney Plus.
In fact, as Disney Plus is the streaming home of Marvel Studios content, it stands a pretty good chance of becoming a bit of a phenomenon there. After all, if you have a bunch of Marvel fans constantly using the streamer, they could easily click onto Madame Web if they see it featured across the banner or among their recommended titles. Much of the general audience may not be aware of the difference between a Sony Marvel movie or an MCU movie, so there is more than enough potential for crossover between those audiences there.
Madame Web did generate $100 million at the box office but that was nowhere near enough for the film - which also cost $100 million to make before marketing is factored in - to break even. But that's not to say that it didn't generate buzz, as the film developed a reputation for being "so bad, it's good", and although that doesn't always make audiences go out to see a film in theaters, it can be enough to make them press play on a streaming service out of sheer curosity, watching it from the comfort of their own home. If Madame Web made people do that on Netflix, it could very well do it all again on Disney Plus.
MCU fans are eagerly awaiting the Disney Plus release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps - the most recent installment in the beloved franchise - so perhaps the release of Madame Web on the streamer will give them something to check out in the meantime!