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Sony’s Spider-Man Universe webbed a new tale on Feb. 14 with the release of “Madame Web,” introducing a fresh origin story for the clairvoyant Cassandra Webb (played by Dakota Johnson).
Los Angeles, CA – February 12th, 2024 – The Regency Village Westwood lit up with the star-studded premiere of Marvel’s latest cinematic offering, “Madame Web,” on Monday evening. A departure from the traditional superhero fare, “Madame Web” delves into the enigmatic origins of one of Marvel’s most intriguing heroines, Cassandra Webb, portrayed by the talented Dakota Johnson.
Directed by SJ Clarkson and featuring a stellar cast including Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, and Emma Roberts, the film promises a suspense-driven narrative filled with twists and turns.
At the heart of “Madame Web” lies the story of Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan, who discovers she possesses the extraordinary ability to see the future. As she grapples with this newfound power, Webb realizes she holds the key to altering destiny itself. Joined by three young women on the brink of powerful destinies, Webb embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption amidst a backdrop of danger and uncertainty.
The premiere event buzzed with anticipation as fans, influencers, and celebrities alike gathered to witness the unveiling of Marvel’s latest cinematic venture. As the stars made their way down the red carpet, they graciously paused to share their thoughts on the film and the experience of bringing it to fruition.
Celeste O’Connor, who brings the character of Mattie Franklin to life in “Madame Web,” embodies strength, resilience, and authenticity in her portrayal. In an interview, O’Connor expressed profound admiration for her fellow cast members, emphasizing the camaraderie and support that defined their on-set dynamic.
Tahar Rahim, who portrays Ezekiel Sims, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, highlighting the child-like wonder he had when getting to know his character for the role.
Director SJ Clarkson, renowned for her work on “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” expressed her excitement about “Madame Web,” describing it as a unique and thrilling addition to the Marvel cinematic universe. The presence of other beloved Marvel characters such as Miles Morales, portrayed by Shameik Moore, and America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez, further heightened the excitement surrounding the premiere.
The premiere culminated in a screening of “Madame Web,” offering attendees a first look at the suspense-driven thriller. “Madame Web” ventures into uncharted territory, pushing the boundaries of the superhero genre and inviting audiences on a thrilling journey of self-discovery and empowerment. As Marvel continues to evolve and diversify its cinematic offerings, Madame Web stands as a testament to the studio’s commitment to storytelling innovation and inclusivity, setting the stage for a new era of superhero storytelling.
Now that February 14th has arrived, “Madame Web” is officially out in theaters, so be sure to check it out!
Our interviews linked down below!
Get ready for “90 minutes of pure adrenaline.”
In Liza Soberano’s newest role, she gets her hands dirty inside the cinematic world of “Lisa Frankenstein.”
Directed by the visionary mind of acclaimed writer Diablo Cody, known for her cult classic “Jennifer’s Body,” the film is an all-coming-of-rage love story that defies conventions. It weaves together elements of horror, romance, and black comedy into a tapestry of delightful chaos. At it’s forefront is the highly talented Liza Soberano, starring in the film as Taffy.
The film stitches together a patchwork of vivacious characters, led by Kathryn Newton’s brooding Lisa and Soberano’s Taffy. The story follows Lisa, a teenage girl in the 1980s grappling with the sudden loss of her mother and the complexities of a blended family. Newton portrays Lisa as an outsider yearning for a typical teenage experience, while Soberano shines as Taffy, her charismatic stepsister who becomes her beacon of support in a world filled with grief and isolation. The two have such a brilliant dynamic both on screen and off.
We sat down with Liza to talk all about the film and her role, check out the full conversation below!
In Carlson Young’s latest directorial endeavor, Ana Santos (Camila Mendes) is a smart and ambitious art enthusiast with dreams of running her own gallery. She is currently paying dues as an unpaid trainee at a premiere NYC auction house, run by the influential and demanding Claire Dupont (Marisa Tomei). When Ana is sent on her first work trip and gets unexpectedly upgraded to first class, she meets the handsome and well-connected Will (Archie Renaux), who mistakes Ana for her boss– a white lie that sets off a series of fortuitous events and VIP introductions that suddenly have Ana winning at work and caught up in a whirlwind romance she never expected. However, this little white lie begins to unravel, threatening to ruin Ana’s career and newfound romance.
This lively, contemporary tale was born out of writer Christine Lenig’s desire to celebrate the romcom genre she loves, with a fresh take on classic tropes. In this case, the action revolves around a career-driven, relatable protagonist navigating the aspirational and glamorous world of art and an unexpected romance.
The modern day take on a classic rom-com trope is beautifully refreshing, and the cast, combined with Young’s directing, creates for a can’t-miss cinematic experience. We sat down with Young and Renaux to chat about the film, check out the conversation below!
The city of Los Angeles lit up with black, green, yellow, and red as the highly anticipated red carpet LA premiere of Bob Marley: ONE LOVE took place on a star-studded evening.
Think back to the trials and tribulations of being sixteen years old—navigating yourself, friendships, and relationships. Now add a reproductive disorder that will jeopardize all three; that’s the reality for Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) in Blue Fox Entertainment’s coming-of-age traumedy Fitting In.
Blue Fox Entertainment
Lindy is your oh-so-typical new girl—a track star, best friends with Viv (Djouliet Amara), crushing on Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), and keeping her relationship with her mom, Rita (Emily Hampshire), afloat. After seeing the doctor for birth control, though she has never gotten a period before, Lindy realizes something is wrong.
After a series of tests, including an MRI featuring the sounds of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” which, given what we know and love about the Barbie movie, is the perfect touch to this story. Lindy then learns she has MRKH, a rare reproductive disorder causing the vagina and uterus to be underdeveloped or even absent.
Since learning this diagnosis from a less-than-stellar male gynecologist, Lindy’s life is turned upside down, as she was just planning to have sex with her now-golden retriever boyfriend Adam and realizes she will never be able to have children.
Blue Fox Entertainment
When he delivers the news, director and writer Molly McGlynn does an impeccable job of utilizing camera movements to capture the “world crumbling around you.” A feeling that most of us have experienced at least once.
Lindy’s life continues to change as this diagnosis becomes too much to bare. She pushes away those closest to her, including her best friend and boyfriend. Between painful dilations that had viewers next to me wincing, tears, and modern loneliness, Lindy finds herself in a much different spot than the prior months.
Along the way, she gets to know Jax (Ki Griffin), an intersex individual, sharing their story with others. Despite only passing by each other in the pharmacy at the top of the film, Lindy confides in Jax about her condition, and soon after, one too many shots at a party, a few of the guests.
Blue Fox Entertainment
Soon enough, the entire grade finds out about the condition Lindy has and, like most high schoolers, acts like menaces over it. With courage, clarification, and a little help from her friends, Lindy owns up to her condition (in a stereotypical high school one-against-many standoff).
The film concludes with a content Lindy looking at us from the inside and Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” playing us out.
Over the 105-minute film, McGlynn makes the audience feel something and even jerks some tears, but the tears don’t last long because there is a punchline just around the corner, ensuring that viewers get the message but don’t dwell on a sad moment.
The writing is authentic to the current Gen-Z culture, which Ziegler commended McGlynn on in the post-screening Q&A with Ziegler and Amara.
“It was just about being a human, rather than ‘I’m a teen.’ It was a human experience, and I thought, ‘That’s why she’s so brilliant,’” said Ziegler. “Being 16 is so high cringe… A lot of people are trying to write these really cool teenagers, but teenagers are not cool,” Amara chimed in.
Speaking of Ziegler, her acting has soared to new heights. While she became a household name in 2014 after starring in Sia’s “Chandelier” music video, many OGs met her as a nine-year-old dressed in powder blue and white, a la Dorthy and The Wizard of Oz, on Lifetime’s Dance Moms. From there, we knew there was a star in the making. Her comedic timing, coupled with her dramatic monologues, is a display of her growth.
Blue Fox Entertainment
Ziegler’s star shines alongside the rest of the cast, including Hampshire, whose character starts as a fit yet unsteady mother who is met with mediocrity in her work as a therapist and her love life when she fails to find a partner. However, toward the middle of the film, we start to see more layers of Rita when we dive into her previous journey with breast cancer and the lengths she will go to to help her daughter.
Rita is the only parent we’re introduced to, as Viv’s homelife was cut from the final script (it would’ve been great to see more background, but the film was already jampacked.) What we do know, from what Amara discussed in the panel, is that Viv had more absentee parents. We learn that her mother is away on business while her daughter competes in one of her biggest track events.
Nonetheless, the dynamic between Lindy and Viv is the epitome of a genuine high school friendship; even when things hit the fan, they have one another’s backs– even if the other one doesn’t know it at the time. The chemistry between the two is evident both on and off-screen, with Amara calling Ziegler “a f*cking lovely gem” and describing the overall filming process as “summer camp.”
Fitting In is Molly McGlynn’s semi-autobiography, and she turns her pain into passion and passion into an exceptional film. For Ziegler, bringing this story to life and raising awareness of this condition was a transformative experience.
“I was so specific about getting it right for Molly, and I wanted to do her story justice as best as I could. Something I’m so thankful that she did [for all of us] was, ‘As much as this is my story, it’s yours now too,’ and she gave us the freedom to explore the characters in a way she might not have even thought of,” she explained.
Regardless of opinions on the plot, audience members can agree that they walked away educated about this condition that society has buried for too long. Ziegler herself discussed the importance of women being able to talk about their bodies without the fear of “being taboo.”
Fitting In is a hilariously sad, honest rollercoaster that impeccably shows, rather than tells, the story of overcoming adversity in the face of one of the worst times in people’s lives: being a teenager. In a time when movie-goers long for the return of the next Y2K-esque coming-of-age film, Fitting In is an exceptional addition to that modern-day lineup.
Fitting In is in theatres now. Find a screening near you here.
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