Credit: Sony Pictures / Marvel StudiosJon Watts, the heart of Marvel’s box-office-smashing Spider-Man trilogy, is not returning to the franchise.
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Amid the press cycle for his latest project, Wolfs, starring Hollywood royalty Brad Pitt and George Clooney, director Jon Watts confirmed his departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), commenting on his work with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy of films.
Over the last decade and a half, the MCU has grown and evolved into a box office beast, raking in record-breaking profits with each subsequent release. However, Marvel’s Spider-Man trilogy is noticeably different, with each release resonating with both the box office and critics alike in ways unprecedented for the character and company in general.
Consisting of No Way Home (2017), Far From Home (2019), and No Way Home (2021), Marvel’s Spider-Man “Home” trilogy once again saw the friendly neighborhood hero get rebooted, this time with the character becoming an official member of the MCU.
Behind the camera was Jon Watts, a director who had made an impression with 2014’s Clown and 2015’s Cop Car. While Tom Holland’s portrayal of Spider-Man is arguably the true anchor of these films, Watts held the rare title of sole director across three different MCU films.
Most of Marvel’s trilogies have featured different directors, but Watts was kept on for all three Spider-Man flicks, giving them a connective tissue, or web, if you will, that can be felt when watching.
However, Watts is not returning for the eventual Spider-Man 4, with the director commenting on his time working for the Marvel machine.
Spider-Man Director Confirms Marvel Departure
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Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Watts shared that he realized it was time to move on after Spider-Man: No Way Home, leaving Spider-Man 4 for someone else to take over.
Watts explained that he felt the premiere and hype for No Way Home were unmatchable, saying it would “never” be like that again.
“That was such a specific moment in time, and the reaction to that movie was just so unbelievable. It’s never going to be like this, ever again.”
With Watts departing the MCU, Sony and Marvel must find a new director for Spider-Man 4, a film that is still years away.
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Directing team Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have been named in the search. The duo already has a working relationship with the studio and worked on two episodes of Disney+’s Ms. Marvel.
Of course, there’s always Sam Raimi, a legendary filmmaker who made the superhero even more of a household name with his Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man trilogy throughout the 2000s. Raimi has worked both with Sony and Marvel, directing his first MCU project, Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in 2022.
Another name that has appeared in rumor mills is Drew Goddard. Per Screen Rant, the writer/director would be a great fit for the film, as Goddard created Marvel’s iconic Daredevil series for Netflix.
Who do you want to direct Spider-Man 4?