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.
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