Madame Web Post Credit Scene Cut, Director Explains
Madame Web is currently in theaters, giving one of Marvel’s more obscure characters a moment in the spotlight. Audiences will likely notice that one standard convention of the modern superhero is missing: the post-credit scene. The reason for this, it turns out, is quite simply that director SJ Clarkson decided against putting a post-credit scene in for narrative reasons.
The MCU Popularized Post-Credits Scenes
While post-credit scenes have become an expected part of the superhero genre because of the MCU’s use of the element, Clarkson decided it didn’t fit into Madame Web’s narrative. In an interview with ComicBook.com Clarkson stated that the movie was the self-contained origin story for Madame Web and didn’t need to have anything after its ending. While a scene hinting at future plans for the character was shot it was included earlier in the movie as part of Madame Web’s clairvoyant visions.
The Focus Is Entirely On Madame Web
The film’s producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura has similarly stated that the movie had a narrow focus on introducing audiences to the character of Madame Web. Rather than trying to set up other characters and projects di Bonaventura said, the focus was on telling the origin story of the character before becoming the version of the character seen in comic books. This is a stark difference to characters like Spider-Man which it’s generally assumed at this point audiences know the origin of.
No Set-Up For this Year’s Other Sony Spider-Verse Films
Madame Web, notably released by Sony and not Disney, is one of the few Marvel movies coming out this year, leaving fans of superheroic action with a bit less to watch than usual. The lack of a post-credit scene is especially surprising given that the Sony arm of Marvel’s film endeavors has two more movies coming out later this year, Kraven The Hunter and Venom 3. It will be interesting to see if this practice persists, or if those movies will opt for the standard post-credit scenes audiences have come to expect.
Fan Pushback On Post-Credit Scenes
Though many fans look forward to them, others consider them a trend that has overstayed its welcome and there’s certainly something to be said for abandoning the formula when it doesn’t fit with a specific movie. Fans were critical of Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness’s post-credit scene for seeming to undercut the movie’s organic ending. Even the MCU proper, the franchise that created the convention, has shown a willingness to drop its post-credit scenes, choosing not to add one to Avengers: Endgame.
Is The Trend Going To Stop Anytime Soon?
With the dominance of the MCU, many other films were quick to adopt the post-credit scene as a way to build hype for future franchise projects. Madame Web abandoning the practice may indicate that the trend is being rolled back, perhaps as a result of the MCU’s recent box office struggles. However, it’s more likely that at least in the superhero genre the post-credit scene trend won’t be going anywhere just yet.
Madame Web Is Flopping In Theaters Now
Madame Web is currently in theaters, having been released on February 14, 2024. It stars Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeny, Isabella Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Adam Scott, and Emma Roberts. Despite its impressive cast and bold decision to break from genre conventions with its post-credit scene, the movie has struggled at the box office.
Source: ComicBook.com
