Emma Roberts has a theory about why “Madame Web” bombed at the box office.
The 33-year-old actress spoke to Variety in an interview published Friday and opened up about the reason why the Marvel film performed so poorly with both fans and critics.
“Things work; things don’t work,” she said. “Everyone likes to act like they can predict if they’re going to work or they’re not. And the truth is, you can’t. Things do badly, and then they blow up later on TikTok. Things do well, but then you watch them, and you’re like, ‘This did well?’ “
Roberts continued: “There is no secret. It’s about doing something goodish and it hitting at the right time. Everything else is like a wish and a prayer. I’m not intimidated by failure, and I’m not intimidated by people having negative thoughts about something.”
The Hollywood star said that she “personally really loved” and “enjoyed” the superhero film, in which she plays Spider-Man’s mom, Mary Parker.
“I thought everyone in it was great,” said Roberts, who starred opposite Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Mike Epps, and Adam Scott.
“The director, S.J. Clarkson, I think did an amazing job,” she added. “She’s the reason I wanted to do that movie. If it wasn’t for internet culture and everything being made into a joke, I think that the reception would’ve been different.”
Roberts concluded, “And that’s what bums me out about a lot of stuff, even stuff that I’ve done, is people just make such a joke out of everything now.”
Despite “Madame Web” being a flop, Roberts told ComicBook.com last month that she enjoyed her experience working on the film.
“I loved getting to just pop in and play Peter Parker’s mom, and I loved the director of that movie. I had so much fun,” she said. “I think that playing comic book characters is so fun, I would love to get the chance to play one that maybe gets a little more action.”
“Madame Web” was universally panned by critics and has a 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film, which was produced by Sony, grossed only $100 million worldwide — making it one of the least-profitable superhero movies ever.
Johnson, 34, openly criticized the movie less than a month after its release on Valentine’s Day.
“I probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world,” she told Bustle in March. “And I know that now. But sometimes in this industry, you sign on to something, and it’s one thing and then as you’re making it, it becomes a completely different thing, and you’re like, wait, what?”
“Madame Web.” Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
The “Fifty Shades” actress, who had never done a superhero film before “Madame Web,” blamed Sony and Marvel for the way they produced the movie.
“It’s so hard to get movies made, and in these big movies that get made . . . decisions are being made by committees, and art does not do well when it’s made by committee,” she said.
In “Madame Web,” Johnson plays clairvoyant paramedic Cassandra “Cassie” Webb/Madame Web, who’s linked to Spider-Man.
Roberts and Scott, 51, play Spider-Man’s parents.
