Jon Watts On Marvel/Sonys' SPIDER-MAN & Securing 'Very, Very Smart' Writers
Before work begins on 2017s Spider-Man reboot, director Jon Watts is currently promoting his upcoming feature 'Cop Car.' In a recent interview, Watts talked about his childhood passion for the web-slinger and shared his thoughts on the films writers, check it out...
It's been well reported that Marvel Studios president Kevin Fiege and Sony Pictures Amy Pascal gave him the job based on his body of work, namely Cop Car. Watts explained in further detail on how he won over both studios; “You have to be able to have a vision for it, but there’s also just a lot of endurance, keeping up your enthusiasm going in for meeting after meeting.” Getting the job might have been the easy part, as now Watts has to make the film feel original, despite two different takes on the character in the last decade already. Acknowledging this, Watts shared that “It’s true, but it’s been around for ever so there’s no idea that hasn’t been explored in some capacity in the comics at some point", adding "I like seeing everything and letting that inform it.”
Growing up, Watts was a fan of Peter Parker/ Spider-Man and this only increased his excitement of having a chance to explore the character on screen. “I had this learn-to-draw Spider-Man comic book. There were some panels that were blank panels for you to fill in the rest of the story and then some that were just pencils for you to ink and then there were some that were already inked for you to color to decide if you want to be the penciler or the inker or the colorist or the writer. I was obsessed with this book. I would bring it to school every day until I had slowly filled up and colored every panel and then after that, it was the Todd McFarlane era, his run which was so cool. That’s when I was really into comics, but now it’s just been really great to hang out in an office and read comics all day, catching up on everything that I’ve missed.” Interestingly, Watts mentions the Todd McFarlane era, could this influence his take on the character? That remains to be seen but one thing we do know about the movie is that Vacation directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein will be writing the script. Despite a lukewarm recption for the duo's debut feature, Watts shared his enthusiasm for working with the pair.“We’re all learning about each other, but they’re very, very smart and extremely irreverent and I can’t wait to start.”
With a July 28, 2017 release date, production is due to begin next year although Watts wasn't ready to give out specific information. What to you make of the extracts above? Do you believe Watts is the correct director for the job, then share your thoughts below.
The as yet untitled Spider-Man reboot from Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, which has so far cast Tom Holland as Peter Parker and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, will open in theaters on July 28, 2017.