Emma Roberts Blames 'Internet Culture' For 'Madame Web' Box Office Flop

Emma Roberts has a theory about why Madame Web tanked big time. 

In a new interview with Variety published Friday, the actor, who played Mary Parker in the film, explained why she thinks the movie earned an unfavorable reception on the internet. 

Things work; things dont work, Roberts said. Everyone likes to act like they can predict if theyre going to work or theyre not. And the truth is, you cant. Things do badly, and then they blow up later on TikTok. Things do well, but then you watch them, and youre like, This did well?

There is no secret. Its about doing something goodish and it hitting at the right time, she continued. Everything else is like a wish and a prayer.

Directed by S.J. Clarkson, Madame Web is set within Sonys Spider-Man universe and follows a paramedic named Cassandra Cassie Webb (Dakota Johnson ), who develops clairvoyance and uses it to protect three young girls against a dangerous villain.

The film, which hit theaters in February, was overshadowed by poor reviews, including an 11% rating and a 57% audience approval score on Rotten Tomatoes .

Despite the criticisms, Roberts said that shes not intimidated by failure or by people having negative thoughts about something shes done as an actor. 

I personally really loved Madame Web. I really enjoyed the movie. I thought everyone in it was great, she said. The director, S.J. Clarkson, I think did an amazing job. Shes the reason I wanted to do that movie. If it wasnt for internet culture and everything being made into a joke, I think that the reception wouldve been different.

And thats what bums me out about a lot of stuff, even stuff that Ive done, is people just make such a joke out of everything now, she added.

Meanwhile, Johnson previously said that shes not surprised that Madame Web has gone down the way it has, telling Bustle in March that of course its not nice to be a part of something thats ripped to shreds, but I cant say that I dont understand.