A new Madame Web movie set photo reveals an obscure Spider-Man 2 Easter egg. Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) has expanded following the success of Sony and Marvel's collaboration for the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy. Instead of solely focusing on the beloved Web-slinger, Sony is branching out and introducing some other characters featured in the Spider-Man comics. Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Morbius are some of the films Sony has developed as a part of its shared cinematic franchise. The studio has also committed to bringing some lesser-known Spider-Man characters to life, with spinoff movies like Madame Web, Kraven the Hunter, and El Muerto already in the works.
Madame Web is perhaps the most anticipated entry on the SSU slate. Directed by The Defenders and Jessica Jones helmer S. J. Clarkson, with a screenplay from Morbius writing duo Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama, Madame Web features Dakota Johnson as the titular superheroine. Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Emma Roberts, Mike Epps, and Adam Scott round out the ensemble, although their roles remain undisclosed. Earlier, an image from the movie's filming location teased Madame Web's 2000s setting, leading many to believe that the film is connected to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies. Now, there is another hint of a tie-in.
Spider Culture News shares a new Madame Web set photo to Twitter, where user Harry Monroe pointed out a very precise Spider-Man 2 Easter egg. The picture in question spotlights some newspaper vending machines, and the third rack features a paper with a headline that reads, "Bravest Pulls Girl From Fire." This is evidently a callback to Raimi's Spider-Man 2 movie, in which Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker saves a young girl from a burning building despite losing his superpowers. Take a look at the image in the tweet below:
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Interestingly, the first news rack contains a more pronounced Spider-Man reference. The machine is dedicated to the Daily Bugle, the tabloid newspaper from the comics that had a notable presence in Raimi's movies. Maguire's Parker was employed at the publication as a photographer, and many other Bugle executives and workers from the comics, like J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, Betty Brant, and Eddie Brock, appeared in important roles across the three Spider-Man movies. Collectively, the two tie-ups between Madame Web and Spider-Man strongly hint that the former is based in the same universe as Raimi's films, increasing the likelihood of the movie revisiting the trilogy in some way.
With clever nods to Raimi's Spider-Man movies, it seems that Madame Web is seeking to recapture the zeitgeist of the 2000s. However, the references do not necessarily imply that Maguire's Spidey would pop up in the movie; rather, as recent set photos show, Madame Web's approach to Spider-Man could be completely different than what's being expected. Since the titular heroine is a clairvoyant, her brain can traverse the Web of Life and Destiny, which is the fabric of the Multiverse. Her abilities therefore allow all the Spider-Men to co-exist simultaneously, giving the filmmakers the opportunity to play around with the different universes through subtle references. Since Madame Web isn't as well-established as some other Spider-Man heroes, Easter eggs like the ones seen above can boost interest in her narrative. New fans are already intrigued by the talented cast, and the homage to Raimi's movies will also likely appease some Spider-Man loyalists, building more excitement for Madame Web.
Source: Harry Monroe/ Spider Culture News
