After signing with Apple to make a sequel to his new action-comedy “Wolfs,” Jon Watts has signed a first-look production deal between Walt Disney Pictures and his production label Freshman Year, returning to the studio after directing Tom Holland’s “Spider-Man” trilogy at Marvel Studios.
“Jon Watts is a truly gifted filmmaker who brings spectacle, humor and heart to whatever he does,” said David Greenbaum, president of Disney’s live-action film division and 20th Century Studios. “I am so excited to work with him and his producing partner Dianne McGunigle on a slate of upcoming projects for Disney and 20th.”
Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures as part of a partnership that brought the webslinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Watts’ “Spider-Man” trilogy grossed a combined $3.88 billion at the global box office.
The biggest of the trio was the third installment, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which saw Holland appear alongside former Peter Parkers Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Despite its release amid surging COVID-19 cases in December 2021, the film grossed $1.9 billion worldwide, second only to “Avatar: The Way of Water” for the highest-grossing film this decade.
Beyond Marvel, Watts’ projects at Disney include the FX series “The Old Man” starring Jeff Bridges, on which he is an executive producer. He is also EP and creator of the upcoming “Star Wars” limited series “Skeleton Crew,” which streams on Disney+ in December.
“I’ve already had an incredible experience working with Alan Bergman, Kathy Kennedy, Kevin Feige and the rest of the Disney team and I’m thrilled to now be partnering with the brilliantly creative David Greenbaum,” Watts added in Wednesday’s statement. “David has exceptional taste and deep filmmaking knowledge and I’m excited to work with him and his team to create memorable, director-driven theatrical experiences.”
In addition to his work with Disney, Watts’ New York-based Freshman Year and McGunigle currently have multiple projects in various phases of production and development, overseen by Watts and development exec Kathleen Gardner, including a revival of the “Final Destination” horror series titled “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” which is in post-production over at Warner Bros.
The deal was first reported by Deadline.
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