Sydney Sweeney confesses real reason behind doing ‘box office flop’ Madame Web for Sony

Sydney Sweeney recently opened up about Madame Web’s lacklustre performance at the box office.

The film, part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, struggled with critics and audiences and was a box office flop.

Recently, the Euphoria star shared that she has no regrets about joining the project - even if it didn’t turn into a blockbuster hit.

For her, the film was more of a ‘building block’ to establish connections. 

In an interview with GQ, Sweeney explained, “To me, that film was a building block; it’s what allowed me to build a relationship with Sony.”

As it appears, she clearly understands how Hollywood works: taking on major projects can be a smart way to increase visibility and pave the way for more chances later, even if the project itself doesn’t end up being a hit.

Released in 2024, Madame Web features Dakota Johnson in the lead role, with Sweeney playing Julia Carpenter, a version of Spider-Woman. 

Despite having a notable cast, the film received a dismal 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and barely broke even, making just under $100 million worldwide on a budget of $80 million.

Critics called it an “embarrassing mess,” and even Dakota Johnson admitted her disappointment, pointing out that the end result was far from the original vision, which had been altered through creative compromises.

This is not the first time, Sweeney has addressed Madame Web’s box office drubbing.

In a separate interview with the Los Angeles Times, the actress was unfazed when asked about the SSU movie’s widespread panned by critics and fans.

Sweeney said, “I was just hired as an actress in it, so I was just along for the ride for whatever was going to happen.”

For Sweeney, the movie’s success wasn’t the primary goal.

She sees Madame Web as part of a bigger career strategy.

Her partnership with Sony has already paid off, leading to projects like the well-received rom-com Anyone But You.

Sweeney is also set to lead a Barbarella reboot, with filmmaker Edgar Wright in talks to direct.

Additionally, Sweeney will portray boxer Christy Martin in a biopic directed by David Michôd, for which she has undergone extensive physical training.