Contains spoilers for “Madame Web”
It’s not easy being “Madame Web.” The already much-maligned-by-critics entry into Sony Pictures’ section of the Marvel Comics world has been battered by poor reviews, mocking memes, and audience skepticism. Reports that a thematically important line to the “Spider-Man” universe has been altered for the film have only added to audience skepticism.
According to an interview with director S.J. Clarkson conducted by Total Film in February 2024, the iconic quotation “With great power comes great responsibility” has been altered within the film to the following: “When you take on the responsibility, great power will come.” Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben is the one who recites the original line, and it is an idea that Peter takes to heart while performing his duties as Spider-Man, especially when Ben dies.
That piece of advice has become such an iconic part of Spider-Man lore that fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) are miffed about the switchup. “This is horrific. With great power comes great responsibility means you got power, now have a duty to use it properly. Her line is about how to GAIN power. It’s the POWER that you want,” wrote @disparutoo. “It’s like a poor translation or something. why can’t they use the original line?” asked @J4Streamzz, with a crying face and skull emoji added in for emphasis. “It is clunkier,” said @greg_hanno77161.
While fans may be disappointed, Clarkson has a reason for changing the original quote. And it looks like another, more infamously meme-worthy line has also been changed for the final release of “Madame Web.”
S.J. Clarkson has a reason for switching up the line
S.J Clarkson reported to Total Film that the dialogue change was made to “Madame Web” to give Cassie Webb (Dakota Johnson) her own legacy to follow while serving as a callback to Peter Parker’s world. “I think that every hero has a moment where their mentor or someone important to them gives them a line which inspires them on the way and this felt like a nod to where she was from, while also making it hers,” she said. But as suggested by the aforementioned reactions on social media, the new line feels like an awkwardly phrased take on a quote that debuted along with Spider-Man himself in “Amazing Fantasy” #15 back in 1962.
While it remains to be seen how these words will impact Cassie as time goes on, another line from “Madame Web” that went viral thanks to a sneak peek trailer has been excised from the final product. Vulture reports that the infamous “he was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died” line, which became a viral meme in November 2023, has been excised from the film’s final cut. Audiences will find out if that’s to Madame Web’s benefit or not when the film opens on February 14.
