Here's Why People Are Unhappy With Dakota Johnson's Potential Casting As Madame Web In "Spider-Man"
The spidey-verse is expanding, but not all Marvel fans are pleased with how...
Marvel / Via giphy.com
Earlier this week, the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Dakota Johnson is in talks to be cast as the lead role in Madame Web, a movie spinoff based on a character from the '80s Spider-Man comics.
Dakota seemingly confirmed the news in a cryptic Instagram story on Saturday afternoon as well.
In the comics, Madame Web is a blind, elderly woman who is capable of predicting the future of "Spider-themed" superheroes.
Her name comes from the web-like machine used to keep her alive.
Since Dakota is obviously not a blind, elderly woman, many MCU fans and those with disabilities are frustrated that once again, an able-bodied actor will be taking a part away from a disabled actor.
Hell naw, disabled actresses exist! Madame Web is a canonically blind character with myasthenia gravis, disabled mimicry is so annoying. https://t.co/rpebxasvzP
Not to mention the fact that madame web is blind (at least in the older adaptation, don't know if she's blind in the younger adaptations) and this takes away a blind actor's role in these films too
@SonyPictures No. Absolutely not. She should be old, and you also might want to consider someone who is actually blind. #madameweb https://t.co/NE5EKPSnjU
Marvel made a similar choice back in 2015 when Charlie Cox was cast as Matt Murdock, a blind superhero, in Daredevil.
Seeing how Marvel has progressed in representation in recent years — with deaf actor Lauren Ridloff's casting as Makkari in Eternals, and Alaqua Cox, a deaf, Native American actor, as Maya in Hawkeye — some were disappointed to see this setback.
However, "sources have stressed" that because of Dakota's casting, "it’s possible the project could turn into something else."
Fans are speculating that Dakota might not be playing the '80s comic book version of Madame Web at all, and instead be playing Julia Carpenter, a Spider-Woman who later becomes a second Madame Web and who is not canonically blind.
It’d be kinda cool to see disabled rep, given it’s Madame Web. Maybe it’s Julia Carpenter, and she eventually becomes a new Madame Web? Idk https://t.co/M19F5w6atV
