Dakota Johnson is making her Marvel superhero debut in the upcoming Spider-Man spinoff, Madame Web, set to be released on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2024. Kicking off the press tour for the new superhero movie, Johnson attended the London photocall dressed in a flirty black look by Versace.
Dakota will play the titular character in the film, which is directed by S. J. Clarkson and produced by Columbia Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures in association with Marvel Entertainment. It is the fourth installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU), following 2022’s Morbius, 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage and 2018’s Venom.
Dakota Johnson stars as Madame Web in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (Credit: Marvel Entertainment / Columbia Pictures / Di Bonaventura Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing)
Putting a Flirty Spin on Business Wear
Dakota Johnson led the glamour at a London photocall for Madame Web held on Wednesday at the Claridge’s Hotel in London.
Wearing a cropped blazer and matching pencil skirt from Versace’s Pre-Fall 2024 collection, Dakota gave the traditional business attire a contemporary, flirtatious twist.
Embracing the shirtless blazer trend, the Fifty Shades actress revealed a hint of her cleavage and flat abs in the tuxedo-style blazer with sleek satin peak lapels and a deep plunging neckline that reached her sternum.
Along with its cropped design, the structured padded shoulders gave the single-breasted blazer its bold silhouette.
Dakota Johnson, aka Madame Web, gives her classic black business look a flirty twist in a Versace cropped blazer and a matching pencil skirt (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
The lower half of her expertly tailored outfit featured a midi-length pencil skirt that fell a few inches past her knees.
Dakota paired her Versace skirt suit with the Bottega Veneta “Punta” mules, which showed her minimalist foot tattoos.
They are crafted in Italy from smooth leather and have an asymmetrical upper, pointed toes, and about 4.5-inch heels. These mules are available in white leather at Mytheresa for $990.
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The ensemble perfectly encapsulated Johnson’s signature elegant, well-tailored style. Kate Young, whose clientele includes Nina Dobrev, Julianne Moore, Selma Blair, Scarlett Johansson, Michelle Williams, and Taylor Hill, curated Johnson’s photocall look.
Dakota Johnson showcases her foot tattoos in black Giuseppe Zanotti pointy mules (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
While Dakota wore her neck unadorned, she accessorized her ensemble with the $37,600 Jessica McCormack Asymmetrical Emerald & Diamond Gypset Hoop Earrings. These handcrafted 18k yellow gold and 18k blackened white gold earrings, which are part of the London-based jewelry designer’s Signature collection, are set with two 0.40-carat round brilliant-cut diamonds in a Georgian cut-down setting and two emerald-cut emeralds totaling 4.25 carats.
She also adorned her manicured hands with a statement gold ring, adding a hint of sparkle to her all-black outfit.
Hairdresser Mark Townsend styled her shiny waist-length brunette hair in gorgeous curls, with her signature bangs skimming her brows. Meanwhile, Georgie Eisdell glammed Johnson up with mascara, rosy blush, and pink lipstick.
Dakota Johnson styles her brunette hair in gorgeous curls and wears rosy makeup with lashings of mascara and pink lipstick (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
Madame Web: Sony Pictures’ First Female-Led Marvel Film
Developed by writer Dennis O’Neil and artist John Romita Jr., Madame Web was first introduced in November 1980’s The Amazing Spider-Man #210.
The 2024 superhero movie Madame Web centers on Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops psychic abilities following an accident.
Madame Web (Dakota Johnson) becomes associated with three young women who possess Spider-Woman abilities. These three women, Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor), and Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced), are being hunted by Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), a wealthy man with superhuman attributes akin to Spider-Man and can see into the future. Madame Web steps in to protect them and help them master their abilities.
Dakota Johnson with Spider-Women Isabela Merced, Sydney Sweeney, and Celeste O’Connor on the set of Madame Web (Credit: Marvel Entertainment / Columbia Pictures / Di Bonaventura Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing)
The official synopsis reads: “Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing’s most enigmatic heroines. Forced to confront revelations about her past, [Cassandra] forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures…if they can all survive a deadly present.”
Dakota Johnson Discovers Talent for Stunt Driving
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly early this month, Dakota Johnson shared how amazing it was to perform her own stunts in Madame Web.
“I got to do a day of stunt driving work, and I’m really good at it, it seems! I mean, I can do some really wild things with a car. I drove an ambulance. I drove a taxicab. I drove everything in the movie—except for flying through the air and out of a building. But other than that, I’m like, ‘Watch out, Tom Cruise.’”
Dakota Johnson reveals performing her own stunts for Madame Web (Credit: Marvel Entertainment / Columbia Pictures / Di Bonaventura Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing)
Skeptical About Joining Madame Web
As soon as Dakota was handed the script, she admitted having second thoughts about starring in the superhero film.
“I got sent this script, and I was like, ‘I don’t know about me being a superhero.”
However, as she discovered more about the character, Dakota had a change of heart.
“I was sort of mystified by her powers,” Johnson explained. “I felt like, ‘Oh, I really would love to see that superhero. I would love to see a young woman whose superpower is her mind.’”
Dakota Johnson admits doubting her performance in her debut superhero movie Madame Web (Credit: Marvel Entertainment / Columbia Pictures / Di Bonaventura Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing)
With Madame Web as her debut superhero movie, Johnson also admitted having doubts about her performance and the special effects used in the film, but she also mentioned putting her trust in director S. J. Clarkson.
“I’ve never really done a movie where you are on a blue screen,” she told EW. “There’s fake explosions going off, and someone’s going, ‘Explosion!’ and you act like there’s an explosion. That to me was absolutely psychotic. I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is going to be good at all! I hope that I did an okay job!’”
“But I trusted [Clarkson]. She works so hard, and she has not taken her eyes off this movie since we started.”