Jon Watts, the director who brought ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ to life, recently opened up about the toll that journey took on him. He also revealed the film led to his departure from Marvel Studios’ ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’.
Watts’ departure in 2022 caught many fans off guard. After successfully wrapping a beloved trilogy with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Watts seemed like the first choice to bring Marvel’s First Family into the MCU. However, it turns out, the filmmaker was simply out of steam.
Jon Watts Was Overwhelmed After Directing ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’
Speaking during a panel at the Mediterranean Film Festival, Jon Watts detailed the strain of making ‘No Way Home‘ during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “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,” Watts explained.
Post-production challenges only made things worse. Visual effects became especially difficult to complete due to pandemic-related disruptions across international vendors. For Watts, this added yet another layer of pressure. So when it came time to begin work on ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’, Watts found himself at a breaking point. “I was like, ‘I am out of gas,’” he admitted.
“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’ decision to step down wasn’t taken lightly, and it wasn’t met with disappointment from Marvel Studios. Instead, he was met with understanding.
“Everyone at Marvel totally understood. They had been through it with me,” he shared. What’s even more admirable is his self-awareness. Rather than press on, Watts chose integrity. “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,” he concluded.
How Watts’ Ideas Shaped ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’
While Job Watts walked away from directing ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’, he didn’t leave the project empty-handed. His early ideas, tone, and world-building helped form the backbone of what Matt Shakman ultimately brought to life. When asked during the panel if any of his original plans made it into the final film, Watts responded with thoughtful curiosity.
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“I don’t know exactly what happens in it. But I’ve seen the trailers, and I’ve heard a couple of things. I think it’s pretty close to what we had initially come up with in our story,” he said. He went on to describe the film’s “retrofuturism version of Fantastic Four” and noted that the main villain and central threat remain true to his original concept.
So, Watts’ fingerprints are still on the film, even if his name isn’t in the director’s chair. The fact that ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ continues to carry some of his creative DNA is significant. What’s more heartening is that Watts isn’t bitter or regretful. “I can’t wait to see it, though,” he said. “It’s going to be a totally surreal experience for me to go and watch that movie.”
