The idea of “Madame Web” as an origin story came up in an interview TheWrap conducted with several of the film’s actors. When discussing how they only appear in Spider-suits during clairvoyant visions, Isabela Merced said it didn’t bother her not to suit up in the present. “This is supposed to be an origin story,” she stated. “It wouldn’t be an origin story if we saw us in like, half the movie with our suits on. I like that it’s a little tease, and I like that it leaves people wanting more.” Sadly, it seems to have done the opposite where no one is clamoring for “Madame Web 2.” And it likely comes down to too much teasing and not enough paying off.
The concept of Chekhov’s gun states that all elements of a story must be relevant; namely, if a gun is introduced at the beginning of a story, it needs to be shot by the end. “Madame Web” has a scene toward the beginning where Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim) has a vision where he’s killed by the three future Spider-Women. We see them in costume and using various powers. That would seem to suggest we might see them actually in Spider-suits, using their powers in something that isn’t a vision by the end. Instead, “Madame Web” concludes with a future vision of the girls in costume, alongside Cassie, who now has a better handle on her powers. However, it’s just a suggestion of what might happen.
One could argue whether Madame Web is the kind of character who needed an origin story to begin with. Even if she did, there was a better way to go about it.
