Dakota Johnson has recently spoken out about the critical and commercial failure of her Sony-backed comic book movie, "Madame Web," asserting that the film's flop was not her fault. During a press tour for her upcoming film "Materialists," Johnson told the Los Angeles Times that a flawed creative process, driven by committees and individuals lacking creative vision, was to blame for the movie's disappointing outcome.

"Madame Web," released in winter 2024, starred Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops clairvoyant abilities. The film struggled significantly, earning only $43 million at the domestic box office and $51.5 million worldwide against a reported $80 million budget. It also received a dismal 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The cast included Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott.

Johnson elaborated on her perspective, stating, "It wasn’t my fault. There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way." She added, "I think unfortunately with ‘Madame Web,’ it started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point. But that happens. Bigger-budget movies fail all the time."

Despite the negative reception, Johnson emphasized that she doesn't feel "burned" by the experience. "I don’t have a Band-Aid over it," she explained. "There’s no part of me that’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll never do that again’ to anything. I’ve done even tiny movies that didn’t do well. Who cares?" This echoes her earlier statements to Bustle, where she acknowledged the learning experience and mentioned she "probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world," referring to superhero films. She had also noted, "it’s not nice to be a part of something that’s ripped to shreds, but I can’t say that I don’t understand."

Johnson has been vocal about her views on filmmaking, telling Bustle last year that "films are made by a filmmaker and a team of artists around them. You cannot make art based on numbers and algorithms." She expressed a belief that "audiences are extremely smart, and executives have started to believe that they’re not. Audiences will always be able to sniff out bullshit."

Interestingly, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra offered a different take on "Madame Web's" underperformance. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times at the end of 2024, Vinciquerra attributed the film's failure in theaters to harsh press coverage. "Madame Web underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it. It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix," he stated. Vinciquerra suggested a similar fate for "Kraven the Hunter," implying that critics were unfairly targeting their films. He contrasted this with "Venom," which he said also faced critical disapproval but became a "massive hit" due to audience support, concluding, "These are not terrible films. They were just destroyed by the critics in the press, for some reason."

Currently, Johnson is promoting "Materialists," a new A24 film directed by "Past Lives" Oscar nominee Celine Song. In this movie, which embraces and subverts the romantic-comedy genre, Johnson stars alongside Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. This marks her first rom-com since 2016's "How to Be Single."

Johnson revealed that she has been selective about rom-coms because many scripts she received lacked substance. "They’re not good," she said. "Sorry. I think a lot of what I read these days is void of soul and heart. And Celine is all soul and heart." She found "Materialists" appealing due to "the complexities of all of the characters. The paradox. Everyone being confused about what the fuck they’re supposed to do with their hearts. And what’s the right move? I found that very honest and I found it just so relatable."

"Materialists" is set to open in theaters on June 10, distributed by A24.