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Spider-Man spinoff ‘Madame Web,’ filmed in Boston, releases first trailer

Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney star in the women-centered web-slinging flick

Dakota Johnson attends the premiere of "Daddio," at the TIFF Bell Lightbox during the Toronto International Film Festival, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in Toronto.Joel C Ryan/Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP

Sony’s growing universe of Spider-Man spinoffs continues to spin its web.

The studio’s latest addition, “Madame Web,” released its first trailer Wednesday, featuring a new tale that doesn’t center around everyone’s favorite neighborhood Spider-Man.

Set to Billie Eilish’s haunting hit song “Bury a Friend,” a clairvoyant EMT named Cassandra Webb, played by Dakota Johnson, opens the trailer with a knife fight against nemesis Ezekiel Sims, played by Tahar Rahim. The film — whose production called for cars made before 2003 — turned Boston’s Financial District into New York City in the 2000s, while filming in the Hub last year.

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Alongside Johnson, the women-centered cast stars Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, Celeste O’Connor, and Isabela Merced. Adam Scott and Mike Epps also star in the flick, which is set to hit theaters Feb. 14.

The character of Madame Web was created by writer Denny O’Neil and artist John Romita Jr., and was first featured in a November 1980 Marvel comic book.

Filming began in Boston in July 2022 and wrapped in January. Initially scheduled to release in July, the premiere was postponed amid the SAG-AFTRA strikes.

“Madame Web” is one of several Spider-Man adjacent films that Sony has planned for next year. “Kraven the Hunter,” starring Aaron-Taylor Johnson, opens Aug. 30, while the third installment of Tom Hardy’s “Venom” franchise is slated to hit theaters Nov. 8.


Kajsa Kedefors can be reached at kajsa.kedefors@globe.com.