Credit: Marvel ComicsWe’ve known for a while now the red hot Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) director Jon Watts would helm the currently undated Fantastic Four for Marvel Studios. However, a new report suggests that Watts may begin work on the eagerly anticipated reboot sooner than expected, making it his very next project.
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Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige tapping Jon Watts to relaunch the Fantastic Four franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems like an ideal assignment for the all-world director. Watts has proven himself more than capable of taking over a diminished property from another studio and elevating it into pop culture’s top tier. When Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios agreed to share custody of Peter Parker in the interest of making the best Spidey movies possible — and boatloads of money — it was Watts who turned Tom Holland’s Peter Parker into an all-time fan-favorite.
With the success of Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and now the record-shattering performance of Spider-Man: No Way Home — featuring Sony’s Spider-Man Tobey Maguire and Amazing Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield — Watts has shown that he can tell fresh stories with legendary characters, inspired by decades of rich comic book and cinematic history.
Related: Fantastic Four Rumored to Debut in ‘Doctor Strange 2’
Many Hollywood insiders presumed that the next Jon Watts film would be outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A currently untitled thriller — with Watts, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt attached — was recently the subject of a massive bidding war that saw Apple come out on top. The film will star Brad Pitt and George Clooney as rival underworld fixers competing to finish the same job and will be the first re-teaming of Pitt and Clooney since the Ocean’s 11 franchise.
Related: John Krasinski Is a Big Yes For Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Reboot
The Pitt-Clooney-Watts project was such a hot property that the prevailing knowledge held that Watts would next set his sights on the high-profile feature. However, a new report from Variety says that Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot is potentially next up for the No Way Home director.
According to the report that announced Watts’ involvement in Final Destination 6:
“Watts is only set to produce “Final Destination 6.” His next directing gig will still likely be Marvel Studios’ reboot of the “Fantastic Four” superhero franchise, which remains undated.”
Related: Marvel Studios Reportedly Set to Announce ‘Fantastic Four’ Cast This Year
Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot
Marvel fans have been fan-casting their dream line-up of actors to take on Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Invisible Woman (Sue Storm), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and Thing (Ben Grimm) ever since Dinsey snagged the film rights to Fantastic Four in the Fox acquisition. While fans of the Marvel comic originated by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby have championed the casting of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as Reed Richards and Sue Storm, very little is known about the MCU Fantastic Four film, other than the fact that it is definitely in the works.
With the Marvel Multiverse wide open following the misadventures of Peter Parker and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the Fantastic Four’s eventual entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe could occur in any number of ways. Fox’s first take on Marvel’s First Family produced Fantastic Four (2005) –starring Ioan Gruffudd as Mister Fantastic, Jessica Alba as the Invisible Woman, Chris Evans as Human Torch, and Michael Chiklis as The Thing, and Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom. The sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer, was released in 2007 and didn’t live up to fan expectations.
Related: Marvel Studios Officially Ends Stan Lee Cameos in MCU
The studio attempted to revive the franchise with Fantastic 4 (2015) — starring Miles Teller (Reed RIchards), Michael B. Jordan (Human Torch), Kate Mara (Sue Storm), and Jamie Bell (Ben Grimm) — but the film was a critical and commercial flop, torpedoing development of any further Fantastic Four sequels.
Do you think director Jon Watts is the best choice to relaunch Marvel’s Fantastic Four? Let us know in the comments!