Madame Web’s Biggest Changes From the Marvel Comics

Over the last two decades, Sony has been producing the bulk of Spider-Man adaptations. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is retelling a new story with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, but Sony paved the way. Now, Sony has Miles Morales’ animated movies out, as well as properties involving Venom, Morbius, and later in 2024, Kraven the Hunter.

In early 2024, MadameWeb is telling the story of Cassandra “Cassie” Webb and her journey in an alternate New York. As with the past Sony properties, many changes are made from the original comics, in what the studio thinks will modernize and create a better narrative.

10 Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben Is a Parademic in Madame Web

Ben Parker was created in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. He debuted in StrangeTales #97 and grew to become Peter’s trusty, old Uncle Ben — the man who would die and teach him “with great power comes great responsibility.” In the comics, Ben was a retired military police officer and singer who wooed May after a criminal tried to marry her. They would grow old together until Uncle Ben dies at the hands of a criminal that a young Spider-Man let roam.

In Madame Web, Adam Scott plays a younger Ben Parker, who seems to be dating May off-screen. The biggest change is his career. He is a New York paramedic, although it is mentioned he spent time in the military. He helps Dakota Johnson’s Cassie and looks after his pregnant sister-in-law, Mary, Peter Parker’s would-be mother.

9 Uncle Ben Has a Sibling Bond With Madame Web

In the comics, Ben and Madame Web didn’t have a relationship. When Madame Web took Peter to other dimensions, however, he did see other variants of himself and Ben. This showed him — especially in the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series — how vast the Spider-Verse was.

In Madame Web, Cassie is like a sister to Ben, hence the reason she spends time at Mary’s baby shower. He tries to get her to like the concept of family. It results in Cassie leaving her charges with Ben, so she can investigate the sinister Ezekiel Sims. This gives Cassie a direct link to Peter Parker, as she knows his birth will lead to tragedy for Ben and a sympathetic destiny for the child.

8 Ezekiel Sims Is Turned Into a Twisted Villain

Ezekiel Sims was created by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr. in 2001’s The Amazing Spider-Man #30. He was a businessman who mystically powered up to become a remix of Spider-Man. He would find Peter, mentor him on the Spider-Verse and the concept of totems and avatars that these spiders chose. It changed the outlook of Peter’s bite at the hands of a radioactive spider. However, Ezekiel would come off sinister at times as he manipulated Peter against reality-hopping villains like Morlun and Shathra.

In S.J. Clarkson’s MadameWeb, Sims isn’t that lost soul willing to sacrifice his life to help the heroes. He wants to murder Anya Corazón, Mattie Franklin and Julia Cornwall before they become Spider-Women and kill him. This version of Ezekiel Sims is more selfish than someone invested in protecting the “Web of Life” that connects all the Spider-People. As for his powers, he gets them after stealing a supernatural spider in Peru. Her murders Cassie’s mother and her scientists along the way, all because he wants to become superhuman after losing his family.

7 Julia Carpenter Is Changed to a Softer Julia Cornwall

Julia Carpenter was introduced in the comics by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck in the 1980s. She debuted in SecretWars as the second Spider-Woman, became the second Arachne, and in time, became Cassandra’s Madame Web successor. It capped her journey after the shady group, the Commission, injected her with a serum to create a soldier. She would work with the Avengers and Omega Flight as years passed.

MadameWeb uses Sydney Sweeny as Julia Cornwall, someone whose mother is in a psychiatric hospital. She doesn’t feel at home with her father and his new family, so she wants to run away, only for Ezekiel Sims to mark her. This version of Julia Cornwall is a lot more timid, coming off as the big sister to the other girls. It’s a more human approach, especially as they never gain their powers in the movie.

6 Anya Corazón Isn’t a Swashbuckling Hero Yet

Joe Quesada, Fiona Avery and Mark Brooks created Aña Corazón for 2004’s AmazingFantasy #1. She would be imbued with spider-powers by the Spider Society after getting caught in the crossfire between them and the Sisterhood of the Wasp. Aña would become the hero known as Araña, working with the Avengers Academy, and against villains in the Spider-Verse.

MadameWebhas Isabel Merced’s Anya as a young girl whose mother died and whose father got deported back to Mexico. She has been living on her own, scared of the authorities. Anya is very rebellious and antisocial, making vocal stances against capitalism and governance. It plays on her views in the comics, where she disliked the idea of separating families and people in positions of power pushing xenophobic agendas.

5 Mattie Franklin Isn’t a Hunter In Madame Web

Mattie Franklin debuted in 1998’s The Spectacular Spider-Man #262 by John Byrne and Rafael Kayanan. Her mother died, leaving her alienated from her business-obsessed, rich father. Mattie would end up being experimented on by a group he had ties to, the Gathering of Five, which included Norman Osborn. She became a Spider-Woman, working alongside Madame Web and Jessica Drew to apprehend criminals.

MadameWeb’sMattie (Celeste O’Connor) is a punk skater in the movie. She has both parents, although they constantly neglect her. Her father is focused on his empire, while the mother just spends money on art. This shift initially creates a rift with Anya, who hates that she has to bond with one of the elites.

4 Madame Web Isn’t a Mutant and Psychic Medium

Madame Web was created by Denny O’Neil and John Romita Jr. in the 1980s, in The Amazing Spider-Man #210. She was born a blind mutant with precognitive powers, telepathy and clairvoyance. She had myasthenia gravis, which paralyzed her. Her husband would devise a life-support system and a wheelchair, enabling her to work as a psychic medium. In time, she would evolve and accept a greater purpose, using more futuristic tools as she became the custodian of the threads of fate for all the Spider-People.

Dakota Johnson’s Cassie is single, a lot younger, healthy and working with Ben as a paramedic. She doesn’t care about a higher calling at first, as she has been hurting for years, thinking her mother died in Peru in the name of science. Little does she know, her mother went there to find the spider to cure her own myasthenia gravis and save an unborn Cassie. As for how Cassie gains her powers, a shaman in Peru uses a spider to bite her mother and save the child, leading to her abilities manifesting in 2003 when Ezekiel Sims arrives. Cassie only becomes blind and paralyzed after the fight with Ezekiel in MadameWeb’s ending.

3 Madame Web’s New Gear Is Tweaked

The Madame Web seen in cartoons and comics had a chair that seemed very similar to the tech-savvy one that the X-Men’s Professor Xavier rocked. She also used a blindfold and goggles in addition to her iconic red shades. In terms of her garb, she rocked a red dress with a white spider symbol, although different iterations changed things according to her age in the narrative.

When Dakota Johnson’s Cassie achieves her final form, she has a sleeker jacket. It nods to the 2000s era of superheroes, who loved that leather look, from the X-Men to Daredevil. Her shades are also a lot bigger and more futuristic, giving her an aesthetic that would sync with the new generation of comic book movie fans.

2 Madame Web Adopts The Spider-Women

A major theme in MadameWeb is motherhood. Cassie finally learns to let go of her resentment by discovering her mother protected her. She ends up adopting all three of the Spider-Women she saves from Ezekiel Sims. It’s uncertain if she is their official adoptive mother, but they seem as if they will be spending time being trained by her for the future — one where Cassie sees them suited up.

Notably, Madame Web didn’t do this in the comics. She met and worked with these ladies over the course of the comics, but was more a friend than a mentor. This change does fit the story, however, as these apprentices look to Cassie as a mother-figure thanks to the way she protected them selflessly and risked her life.

1 The Spider-Women Come Before Peter Parker

In the comics, Anya, Mattie and Julia gained their powers after Peter Parker became Spider-Man. As a result, he would pass wisdom to them in their subsequent meetings. This movie shifts that chronology up, because Cassie “recruits” them when baby Peter is born to Mary.

It is uncertain how they will develop their powers after Ezekiel Sims dies fighting Cassie. His spider’s fate at his lair is known, while Cassie’s spider is still in Peru. Sadly, Madame Web’s box office failure suggests Sony won’t make sequels to explore their full power-ups and how Peter makes his own heroic turn with these older Spider-Women already established.

Madame Web is currently playing in theaters.