Is Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben in ‘Madame Web?’

Warning: This article discusses rumored Madame Web plot points.

Wanted more of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe after Morbius? Well, no, of course, you didn’t, but Sony is keen for us to know that Madame Web will be much better. At the very least it has actual Spider-People in it, from Dakota Johnson’s Cassandra Webb to Sydney Sweeney’s Julia Carpenter and even the very Spider-Man-alike villain Ezekiel Sims.

But what about the wallcrawler himself? Could Peter Parker put in an appearance in the Sony spinoff? Well, sorry to stall your webshooters, but unfortunately nothing is indicating that Tom Holland (or, hey, even Tobey Maguire/Andrew Garfield, in these multiverse-obsessed days) could feature in Madame Web. However, it’s possible that the Madame Web trailer revealed our first look at an iconic Spider-Verse character who’s been missing from the big screen for a surprising long time.

Who is Adam Scott playing in Madame Web?

The Madame Web trailer teases its unique backstory for Madame Web that has nothing to do with her rich comics history, as Johnson’s Cassie is revealed to be an NYC paramedic who develops psychic powers. We get a brief glimpse at one of her colleagues, a fellow paramedic played by Severance star Adam Scott.

So, who is Scott playing? His role is officially kept under wraps, but the most common theory is that he is actually none other than Ben Parker, aka Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben. If this is the case then Scott would be the first live-action depiction of Ben since Martin Sheen’s performance in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man and the third overall after Cliff Robertson’s legendary role in 2002’s Spider-Man. The MCU has famously skipped over the typically totemic character in Peter’s life, although he was referenced in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.

But how could Ben factor in Cassandra Webb’s story? The trailer doesn’t make this specific, but Madame Web is known to take place in the early 2000s and it’s been teased that it could act as a prequel to the life of Peter Parker. For instance, the trailer also contains a shot of a newborn baby boy, with fans convinced this infant is the future wallcrawler himself.

Although she isn’t showcased in the trailer, American Horror Story icon Emma Roberts is likewise in the cast and is believed to be playing Mary Parker, Peter’s mother. With Ezekiel Sims clearly having traveled from a future filled with Spider-Heroes, perhaps his plan involves going back to the past and erasing them all from existence, starting with the OG, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Luckily, Madame Web is around with her clairvoyant powers to oppose him.

Madame Web is swinging to cinemas on Valentine’s Day 2024.