Spider-Man: Homecoming director Jon Watts recently explained why he stepped away from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In a new interview, he reflected on the timing, personal fatigue, and creative challenges that led to his decision.
Jon Watts on leaving Fantastic Four movie after Spider-Man trilogy
Jon Watts recently revealed why he left The Fantastic Four: First Steps at the Mediterrane Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter).
He said he left the Marvel Studios project in 2022 after completing Spider-Man: No Way Home, citing pandemic-related fatigue. “I am out of gas,” Watts said. “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 explained that the decision followed an exhausting production. “The emotional strain of having to go through all of those COVID protocols while also trying to make something creative… literally, people could’ve died if you did things wrong,” he said. “The postproduction process was very difficult.” He added, “Everyone at Marvel totally understood… they knew how hard and draining that experience has been.”
Watts had committed to the reboot between Far From Home and No Way Home but realized he couldn’t continue. “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.”
Instead, he directed Wolfs for Apple, featuring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. He expressed support for current Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman and acknowledged the upcoming film would be “a totally surreal experience” for him to watch.
Watts also briefly touched upon Skeleton Crew, his Star Wars series, saying, “I would love to do more Star Wars and I can’t say anything more.”
Marvel Studios will release The Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25, 2025. It marks a Phase Six entry in the MCU.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.
