Spider-Man 4 Dropping Series Director? Acclaimed Horror Director Eyed To Take Over

For a few weeks, there have been rumors that Watts wanted to bow out of Spider-Man 4, which is understandable given his present workload. It is also understandable given the increasing unrest at Marvel as demands on production have ramped up in the most recent phase of the MCU, sparking the visual effects artists at Marvel parent company Disney to unionize under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

What exactly might be motivating Jon Watts to exit Spider-Man 4 is not specifically known, nor is it known for certain that he will indeed leave the project, or even that he wants to. However, World of Reel has shared a purported scoop from Daniel Richtman that Marvel is already making preparations in case Watts does indeed choose to not return for another adventure with the wall-crawler. Reportedly, their favorite pick to replace him on the project would be Drew Goddard, the original showrunner of the Marvel Netflix series Daredevil.

While Goddard is not officially attached to Spider-Man 4, he would be an interesting choice given his background in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was responsible for polishes to the scripts for The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, for which he was not credited, meaning his association with the MCU stretches back quite a few years, even if it was not in a major capacity. Currently, he is at work on a screenplay for a western that is to be the next project for legendary director Ridley Scott.

Goddard brings directing experience to Spider-Man 4 as well, should he be invited to helm the project, having directed the horror film The Cabin in the Woods, which he co-wrote with Joss Whedon, as well as the neo-noir hyperlink thriller Bad Times at the El Royale, which he wrote and produced. His television work includes writing for Whedon’s series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, in addition to working with J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof as a writer and producer on Alias and Lost. He has also served as both a director and a producer for the hit series The Good Place.

All of this gives Goddard a great deal of experience and skill to bring to bear on Spider-Man 4, should Watts indeed leave and should Marvel indeed hire Goddard. While the future of the Spider-Man 4 director’s chair is not entirely certain at the moment, if Marvel does end up needing a new director for the film, Goddard looks to be a good choice. But his involvement with the project currently rests on the decision Jon Watts makes about his future with the MCU.