Spider-Man Director Exits Fantastic Four Over COVID Risks

Jon Watts, the acclaimed director behind Tom Holland's Spider-Man trilogy, was originally tapped to helm Marvel's The Fantastic Four: First Steps — a prospect many fans eagerly anticipated given his stellar work with our favorite web-slinger. Surprisingly, Watts himself stepped away from the project, recently explaining he simply couldn't continue after the exhaustive demands of his Spider-Man films during the pandemic.

The Pandemic's Toll on Creativity

"The emotional burden of navigating COVID protocols while maintaining creative vision and ensuring cast/crew safety was overwhelming," Watts revealed during a June 26 masterclass at Malta's Mediterrane Film Festival. "The post-production challenges were equally grueling, with global VFX supply chains disrupted."

Originally committing to First Steps between Spider-Man: Far From Home and No Way Home, Watts realized during pre-production that his creative reserves were depleted. "After the COVID-era filmmaking marathon, I knew I couldn't deliver the excellence this project deserved," he admitted. "Marvel completely understood — they'd witnessed the toll firsthand."

Passing the Torch

While expressing enthusiasm for Matt Shakman's forthcoming interpretation, Watts anticipates a "surreal experience" watching another director's take on the material. The film, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn, launches in theaters July 25.

Watts remains creatively active, having recently produced and contributed to Final Destination: Bloodlines. His candid reflections highlight the unique pressures filmmakers faced during pandemic-era blockbuster production.

Marvel's The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks a fresh start for cinema's first family of superheroes, with a new creative team bringing their vision to life this summer.