Golden Raspberry Awards 2025: Will Madame Web Be Dubbed the Worst Film of the Year?

The 45th annual Golden Raspberry Awards, better known as the Razzies, are notorious for celebrating the worst cinematic offerings of the year. The 2025 nominations have been announced, and several prominent films find themselves in the running for the dubious distinction of Worst Picture. Among them is Madame Web, the fourth installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, which has become a focal point of pre-release derision and post-release critical panning. But will Madame Web ultimately snag the coveted(?) Worst Picture award?

A Controversial Nominee

Madame Web, starring Dakota Johnson, swung into theaters in February 2024 with high expectations, being the fourth installment in Sony’s attempt to build a cinematic universe around Spider-Man’s supporting characters. However, the film quickly became entangled in a web of critical disdain. Panned for its convoluted plot, clunky dialogue, and underwhelming visual effects, Madame Web stumbled at the box office, grossing a mere $100.5 million worldwide against a budget of up to $100 million. Its negative reception was amplified by a widely mocked trailer featuring a line of dialogue so bizarre it was ultimately cut from the final film. This pre-release ridicule, coupled with the film’s critical mauling, cemented Madame Web‘s status as a prime target for Razzie voters.

The Other Contenders

While Madame Web seems a strong contender for Worst Picture, it faces stiff competition. Borderlands, an adaptation of the popular video game, also underperformed critically and commercially. Joker 2, despite the success of its predecessor, apparently failed to recapture the magic, landing multiple Razzie nominations, including one for director Todd Phillips. Even the legendary Francis Ford Coppola isn’t immune to the Razzies’ wrath, with his ambitious sci-fi epic Megalopolis also in the running for Worst Picture and Worst Director. Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut, Unfrosted, rounds out the Worst Director category, suggesting the comedian’s foray into filmmaking might not have been as smooth as his stand-up routines.

Is Madame Web really the worst of the lot? Betting site 22bet21.com is giving it a 1.37/1 or 73% chance of taking home the Worst Picture award this year.

The Razzies: A Legacy of Controversy

The Golden Raspberry Awards have a long and contentious history. Founded in 1981, the Razzies have been criticized for their often mean-spirited and arguably unfair targeting of films and performers. Accusations of pettiness and a lack of humor have dogged the awards for decades, with many calling for their cancellation. The Razzies have also faced backlash for nominating child actors, notably 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong for her role in Firestarter, forcing the organization to issue an apology and rescind the nomination. A similar incident occurred with Bruce Willis, who was given a special “award” for Worst Performance in 2021, only for it to be revoked after his family revealed his aphasia diagnosis.

A Badge of Dishonor… or a Quirky Accolade?

Despite the controversy, the Razzies have become a peculiar fixture in Hollywood’s awards season. While some view the awards as a badge of dishonor, others see them as a lighthearted counterpoint to the self-congratulatory nature of the Oscars. The Razzies have even, on occasion, acknowledged their own missteps, as evidenced by the Armstrong and Willis incidents.

Whether Madame Web will ultimately be crowned the worst film of the year remains to be seen. The Razzie voters, comprised of over 1,200 paying members, have a diverse range of opinions, and the final decision could go either way.