Jon Watts, who helmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man trilogy, reveals the real reason why he stepped down as director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Speaking at a storytelling masterclass at the Mediterrane Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter), Watts detailed that he was left emotionally drained after the experience of making Spider-Man: No Way Home, which not only was a massive studio blockbuster but also went through production during the pandemic. Dealing with the various COVID-19 protocols on top of the other responsibilities made Watts realize he needed to take a break from tentpole filmmaking. Though he had already committed to Fantastic Four, he amicably left the director’s chair.
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“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,” Watts said. “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.”
He continued, “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.”
Watts signed on to helm the MCU’s Fantastic Four reboot back in 2020 (a full year before No Way Home came out and broke box office records) and stepped down in April 2022. At the time of Watts’ departure, it was said that both the filmmaker and Marvel Studios would be interested in working together on another project down the line. Since wrapping up his Spider-Man trilogy, Watts helmed the George Clooney/Brad Pitt thriller Wolfs and co-created the TV series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
WandaVision director Matt Shakman replaced Watts on Fantastic Four, and that film is gearing up for its theatrical release next month. First Steps is the first MCU movie of Phase 6, setting up Marvel’s First Family ahead of their expanded role in the franchise moving forward. Not only are Fantastic Four stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach returning for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, a Fantastic Four sequel is reportedly in development.
Watts delivered three strong films with his Spider-Man trilogy, and it would have been fun to see him try to breathe new life into another classic Marvel property. At the same time, it’s for the best Watts realized he needed to take a break. It isn’t easy making a studio blockbuster under normal conditions, let alone in the middle of a global pandemic. Though Spider-Man: No Way Home earned widespread acclaim, that had to have been a rough experience for the director. If he tried to shift gears to Fantastic Four without taking the time to recharge his batteries, it could have had a negative impact on the movie. First Steps is one of Marvel’s most important projects in the latter stages of the Multiverse Saga. It needs to be well-received to help end this era of the MCU on a high note. A fatigued director might not have been able to give the film the full attention it needed.
Fortunately, Shakman’s vision for First Steps seems to have turned out well. From the beginnings of the film’s marketing campaign, audiences have shown interest in the film, responding positively to the cast of characters and 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic aesthetic. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will hopefully do the titular team justice for the first time on the big screen. And in the meantime, it’s nice to know Watts and Marvel remain on good terms. Watts has proven to be an ideal fit in the MCU sandbox, and while he won’t be calling the shots on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, there’s no shortage of Marvel movies he could helm in the future.
