Marvel Studios is known for taking relatively inexperienced talent and thrusting them into the middle of a $100+ million blockbuster. Sure, their directors have usually proven themselves on some level, but rarely have they handled such a massive film before they’re brought into the Marvel machine. So far, this method has proven to work out well for them. They keep costs down, and essentially give new talent a chance to prove themselves. Who would’ve thought that the Russo brothers, who up until CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, had only TV comedy experience, could direct a kickass action flick? And now the duo are in charge of the next two AVENGERS films. 

The director that Marvel Studios and Sony picked for the upcoming SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING film is perhaps even a bit less experienced than those two were. He has his background in TV comedy as well, namely the ONION NEWS NETWORK. He also has some TV movie experience, but perhaps his biggest claim to fame prior to his hiring was the Kevin Bacon film called COP CAR, which was apparently what helped Marvel decide to choose him as their guy. 

In a recent interview with The Daily Beast, Watts talked about his experience in getting selected for the gig, and his desire that the studios not see the little horror film he made in 2014.

“I don’t know if they’ve seen CLOWN. I’m a little nervous. They liked COP CAR, so I wasn’t going to say, ‘So, I also made a horror movie where a clown monster eats children.’ I wasn’t just going to bring that up.”

If you haven’t had a chance to check out CLOWN, it’s a strange beast, and honestly not too great. Let’s hope that SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is more COP CAR than it is CLOWN. Either way, even Watts thinks his track record is a bit of a contradiction compared to job he signed on for.

“Yeah, it doesn’t make any sense. It’s like everything—when you look back, you can figure out a bit of continuity to how one thing led to another. But in the moment, I wish I could say that this was all some sort of master plan to lead to directing a big cool studio movie. But it was truly the product of just messing around with my friend [co-screenwriter Christopher Ford]. There was no brilliant plotting involved.”

Watts went on to talk about what he hopes to bring to the SPIDER-MAN movies this time around. After all, the character is already an explored one on film. The idea of really making it a high school film has always been one that Marvel Studios overlord Kevin Feige has emphasized, and Watts doubled down on that idea.

“It’s been really fun to just look for things that none of the other Spider-Man movies have really explored before, and decide if that’s something we want to work into that,” he remarks. “And really making it a high school movie, and committing to that, and not having that just be the beginning of the movie. The John Hughes sort of tone. When you’re looking at it through that prism, it really opens up the door to a lot of possibilities.”

On hopping on board the project:

“It was already a moving train when I got on board, but I came on right as they got Tom [Holland], and so I knew everything that was happening with CIVIL WAR. I was there when they were shooting it and sort of lurking in the back, looking over the Russos’ shoulders, and I had ideas about this and that. We were already on the same page, but it was great because I got to sort of meet everyone and see what they were doing with it, and that informed where we eventually took it.”

On actually getting the directing gig:

“I never anticipated anything like this would happen, but I’m having a really good time. It’s such an amazing team working with both Marvel and Sony, and I have the support of just the very best technicians in the world. The best people who do this stuff are all supporting me, and I’ve always worked on things very collaboratively, so it’s been great so far. We start shooting really soon, but it’s been a really fun, interesting experience.”

Seems like a chill enough guy. Hopefully he’ll be able to translate that fun aspect of his personality up onto the screen. We’ve already seen just how funny this iteration of Spider-Man could be in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. If they can somehow capture exactly what they’ve been pitching for the past several months, viewers will be in a for a real treat. 

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING hits theaters on July 7, 2017.

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SOURCE: The Daily Beast