Latest news with #JonWatts
Geek Tyrant
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Director Jon Watts Opens Up About Why He Left Marvel's THE FANTASTIC FOUR Project — GeekTyrant
Jon Watts is no stranger to big swings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He directed all three of Tom Holland's Spider-Man films, culminating with No Way Home , a global juggernaut that brought together multiple generations of Spider-Man and nearly hit the $2 billion mark. So when Marvel tapped him to reboot Fantastic Fou , it made sense. But just months before pre-production kicked into gear, Watts quietly stepped away, and now we know why. While speaking at the Mediterrane Film Festival, Watts finally opened up about the real reason he dropped out. It wasn't because of creative differences or a scheduling conflict. It was burnout, specifically, the kind brought on by trying to make No Way Home during peak pandemic chaos. Watts explained: 'The emotional strain of having to go through all of those COVID protocols while also trying to make something creative while also trying to make sure that your cast and crew were all safe — literally, people could've died if you did things wrong — that and the postproduction process was very difficult. 'When you're doing [visual effects work], there's a whole international component to it where you're using vendors from all over the world, and the supply chain had been interrupted because of COVID. It was really hard to get effects done in a traditional way.' Making a Marvel movie is already like steering a freight train through a needle, but doing it under strict health guidelines, that's a different beast entirely. And No Way Home wasn't just another sequel, it was a multiversal event with a sprawling cast, a visual effects gauntlet, and a story that had to emotionally land across three separate franchises. So by the time Marvel came calling again, Watts had to take stock of where he was mentally and creatively. 'I am out of gas. The COVID layer on top of making a giant movie layer, I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great. I was just out of steam, so I just needed to take some time to recover. 'Everyone at Marvel totally understood. They had been through it with me as well, so they knew how hard and draining that experience has been; in the end, very satisfying, but at some point, if you can't do it at the level that you feel like you need to for it to be great, then it's better to not do it.' The pressure to always jump to the next big thing, especially when it's something as legacy-heavy as Fantastic Four, can be overwhelming. Watts prioritized his mental and creative health over momentum, which I can respect and appreciate. Since stepping away, Watts worked on the Star Wars series Skeleton Crew . Meanwhile, Matt Shakman ( WandaVision ) took the reins on Fantastic Four: First Steps , which finally hits theaters July 25. Watts says watching the film from the outside will be a 'totally surreal experience.' He won't be returning for the next Spider-Man either as Brand New Day , due in 2026, will be directed by Shang-Chi 's Destin Daniel Cretton, but most recently, he co-wrote and produced Final Destination: Bloodlines . Sometimes the best career move is knowing when to sit one out.
Perth Now
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Spider-Man director Jon Watts explains his Fantastic Four exit
Jon Watts left The Fantastic Four: First Steps because he was 'out of gas'. The 43-year-old filmmaker - who directed Tom Holland's Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Spider-Man trilogy - was due to helm the upcoming superhero blockbuster, though exited the project in April 2022, allowing WandaVision's Matt Shakman to take the job that September. Now, Watts has explained that 'the emotional strain' of COVID protocols, the lengthy post-production process and a general feeling of burnout following Spider-Man: No Way Home ultimately pushed him to leave The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Speaking on a panel at the Mediterrane Film Festival, he said: 'The emotional strain of having to go through all of those COVID protocols while also trying to make something creative while also trying to make sure that your cast and crew were all safe - literally people could've died if you did things wrong - that, and the post-production process was very difficult. 'When you're doing [visual effects work], there's a whole international component to it where you're using vendors from all over the world, and the supply chain had been interrupted because of COVID. It was really hard to get effects done in a traditional way. 'By the time No Way Home was done and out, I went in to get back into the story for Fantastic Four. I was like, 'I am out of gas.' 'The COVID layer on top of making a giant movie layer, I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great. I was just out of steam, so I just needed to take some time to recover.' Watts added Marvel 'totally understood' his decision to walk away from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He said: 'Everyone at Marvel totally understood. They had been through it with me as well, so they knew how hard and draining that experience has been; in the end, very satisfying, but at some point, if you can't do it at the level that you feel like you need to for it to be great, then it's better to not do it.' Even so, Watts said he was 'very excited' to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps when it hits cinemas on 25 July. He said: 'I don't know exactly what happens in it. But I've seen the trailers, I've heard a couple of things. 'I think it's pretty close to what we had initially come up with in our story. Obviously, it evolves and adapts over time, but the main villain, the basic threat, the broad strokes ... retrofuturism version of Fantastic Four ... It's going to be a totally surreal experience for me to go and watch that movie.' The Fantastic Four: First Steps - which stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon-Moss Bachrach - follows the titular team as they gain extraordinary powers after a cosmic accident during their exploration of outer space. As they grapple with their new identities, the Fantastic Four must unite to stop the rising threat of Galactus, who could destroy Earth.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Argentina theatre ceiling falls on woman during 'Final Destination Bloodlines' screening
The experience almost came true for Fiamma Villaverde, who was celebrating her 29th birthday at the theatre along with her 11-year-old daughter and a friend. Her life was saved by a whisker as she was leaning towards the armrest. However, she sustained injuries on her shoulder, back, knee and ankle. Villaverde told publications that she is planning to file a complaint and contact a lawyer to sue people responsible for the incident that caused her traumatic injuries. Released on May 16, Final Destination Bloodlines stars Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, with Brec Bassinger and Tony Todd in his final film appearance before his death. The film, which has set cash registers ringing in box offices worldwide, has its screenplay written by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor from a story by Jon Watts, Busick and Taylor. The film is produced by Craig Perry, Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle and Toby Emmerich. David Siegel and Warren Zide are the executive producers. Practical Pictures, Freshman Year, and Fireside Films are behind the film.
Geek Feed
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Feed
Spider-Man – No Way Home Affected Sentry Origin in Thunderbolts*
Sentry was a Marvel hero created in the 2000s, but he has one of the most interesting backstories in that he was actually a forgotten hero that was close friends with characters like Reed Richards and Spider-Man. The thing was, nobody was supposed to remember him or it was going to spell the doom of everyone. A lot of fans thought that they were going to give the same backstory to Sentry in Thunderbolts* , but they decided to change it thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home— specifically director Jon Watts. Talking to Marvel, Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier said , 'Obviously, we couldn't tell that same story because of Spider-Man: No Way Home … Thanks, Jon.' For context, the end of No Way Home had Spider-Man asking Doctor Strange to erase Peter Parker from everyone's memory to save the Multiverse from tearing itself apart. It's kind of the same stakes with Sentry, who was also forced to make everyone forget him to save them from the Void. You could argue that they can simply follow Sentry's story after everyone's forgotten him, but that's probably what the premise of Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to be about. So far, everyone has been pretty positive about Thunderbolts* and Marvel themselves couldn't wait and just rebrand it with its new title. We know that a lot of the members are going to be showing up in Doomsday , but hopefully there's still room for non-Thunderbolts like Captain America and Shang-Chi to take the main stage. Catch Thunderbolts* now out in theaters.
Geek Tyrant
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
How SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Changed The Sentry's Story in Marvel's THUNDERBOLTS* — GeekTyrant
When Thunderbolts* brings The Sentry to the screen, fans familiar with the comics might've noticed a major difference. The story doesn't hinge on the world forgetting he ever existed, but that's not how it played out in the film, and the reason for the change comes straight from Spider-Man: No Way Home . Director Jake Schreier, in an interview with opened up about the creative shift, saying: "Obviously, we couldn't tell that same story because of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Thanks, Jon," he joked, giving a friendly jab at fellow filmmaker Jon Watts. So, once Peter Parker used Doctor Strange's spell to erase his existence from everyone's memory, Marvel didn't want to revisit that same idea so soon. In the comics, Robert Reynolds aka The Sentry is a superhero so powerful and dangerous that he had to erase himself from the world's memory to contain The Void, the dark force that lives within him. But with No Way Home beating them to that mind-wipe punch, Thunderbolts* had to go down a different path. Schreier and actor Lewis Pullman, who plays Bob Reynolds, instead chose to dive deeper into the psychology of the character without relying on amnesia. Schreier said: "It's interesting reading that run. When we talked to Paul Jenkins, he would talk about it as a parable for mental health and this idea of an equal amount of good and evil. 'But when I read Sentry in those comics, there is this level of hubris that he has, and it feels like people around him are getting a little concerned about it. I thought it was so resonant." Pullman expanded on that internal complexity, saying: "We wanted to make sure it wasn't so compartmentalized, that it was always clear that it was one person. It was never this code-switching, or this kind of lily pad–hopping to a completely different person. They are all qualities and parts of one person." While Marvel hasn't officially confirmed what's next for The Sentry, he's set to show up in Avengers: Doomsday next year, and Bob's presence is sure to be both a massive asset and a potential catastrophe, which is exactly the kind of tension the character thrives on.
