Spider-Man Director Jon Watts Calls Watching 'Brand New Day' "Genuinely Weird"

The filmmaker behind Tom Holland's first three Spider-Man flicks shares his unique perspective on the upcoming 'Spider-Man 4' and reflects on his surprising career journey from cult horror to global blockbusters.

TL;DR: Quick Bites on Watts and Spidey's Future

• Jon Watts, director of the first three Tom Holland Spider-Man films, admits watching the new movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will feel "genuinely weird" as he passes the torch.
• Before his MCU fame, Watts made his feature debut with the dark body horror film Clown, which is now receiving a 4K Blu-ray rerelease 11 years later.
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day (aka Spider-Man 4), directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, is currently in production and slated for a July 31, 2026 release, featuring familiar faces and some intriguing new additions.

A "Genuinely Weird" Feeling for a Spider-Man Veteran Director

Imagine dedicating over half a decade of your life to bringing one of the most beloved superheroes to the big screen, guiding him through triumphs and heartbreaks. Now, picture yourself settling into a theater seat, ready to experience the next chapter of that hero's story, but this time, you had no part in making it. That's precisely the "genuinely weird" and "interesting feeling" Jon Watts, the director of Tom Holland's first three Spider-Man MCU outings, anticipates when he watches Spider-Man: Brand New Day for the first time.

Watts, who helmed 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home, and 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, stepped away from directing the fourth installment. He confirmed that he spoke "a little bit at the very, very beginning" with Destin Daniel Cretton, the new director, but ultimately chose to "step back and let everyone do their job." It's a true "passing of the torch" moment, as Watts put it, and he's "curious to see where it goes."

From Frightening Clowns to Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Men: Watts' Unique Path

For many fans, Watts is synonymous with the youthful charm and action-comedy blend of Holland's Spider-Man films and even the jovial Star Wars Disney+ series Skeleton Crew. This association makes his origin story in filmmaking all the more surprising. Before swinging into the MCU, Watts' feature directorial debut was a dark, low-budget body horror film titled Clown.

Co-written with his long-time creative partner Christopher Ford, Clown began not as a meticulously planned feature, but as a prank. In 2010, Watts and Ford, along with friends from NYU, ran a YouTube page where they posted short, often humorous videos. Around Halloween that year, they decided to try to fool their followers into thinking they'd made a real horror feature. They concocted the premise of a father who dons a clown costume for his son's birthday, only for it to become unremovable and possessive, slowly transforming him into an ancient, child-eating Nordic demon called the Clöyne. To make it more convincing, they jokingly slapped "from master of horror Eli Roth" on the fictitious trailer.

"Please don't sue me, sir. It was just a joke. We're big fans."

— Jon Watts, recalling his first conversation with Eli Roth (Source: Variety)

The Unexpected Big Break: When a Prank Turned into a Feature Film

The prank, however, worked a little too well. The video went viral, and to Watts' surprise (and initial terror), Eli Roth himself reached out. Watts recounted his initial plea: "Please don't sue me, sir. It was just a joke. We're big fans." But Roth was genuinely impressed, asking if Watts had an idea for a feature. Watts, seizing the opportunity, lied and said "Yes, absolutely. We have the whole thing worked out." This led to a scramble to develop a full treatment, and a week later, they pitched the idea to Roth in Los Angeles.

Roth not only joined Clown as a producer but quickly secured financing by pre-selling domestic distribution rights. The film was shot in Ottawa, and Roth even co-starred as the Clöyne, alongside Andy Powers as the unfortunate father. Clown fared well overseas, grossing $4.3 million internationally. However, its U.S. release by Dimension Films in 2016 was severely limited, earning only $55,000, which Watts described as a "low point."

Despite this initial stumble, Watts' sophomore film, Cop Car (2015), caught the eye of Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, directly leading to his gig directing Spider-Man: Homecoming. This illustrates a classic real-world scenario where an unexpected viral moment, combined with quick thinking and talent, can open doors to unforeseen career trajectories.

A Horror Renaissance for the Director and the Enduring Allure of Clowns

Now, over a decade after its initial production, Clown is getting a new lease on life with a remastered 4K Blu-ray rerelease by German distributor Turbine Medien on November 13. Watts expressed his delight, noting that it was "a really nice feeling" to have a company genuinely excited about showcasing the film's full potential after its initial troubled release.

Reflecting on the film, Watts still sees "a lot of potential in the premise," even playfully suggesting a desire to turn Clown into a long-term, seven-film franchise "like The Leprechaun" with his co-writer Christopher Ford. He recently made a return to the horror genre as a producer and story contributor for 2025's Final Destination Bloodlines.

Watts also weighed in on the cultural phenomenon of scary clowns, which has seen a resurgence with films like Terrifier and It since his film's debut. He attributes their unsettling nature to the "creepy level of makeup and the strange smile" that hides a human identity, much like Steven Spielberg "ruined the beach for a lot of people with Jaws." He even expressed a touch of guilt for contributing to the fear, acknowledging that "genuinely good clowns" exist and "all clowns really want to do is bring joy and smiles."

Watts' Filmmaking Blueprint: From Indie Horror to Blockbuster Universes

Despite the drastic difference in scale and tone between Clown and his MCU films, Watts revealed that his core filmmaking process remained consistent. "For Clown, I storyboarded the entire movie, every shot from beginning to end, and put together an animatic, recorded all the voices and watched it," he explained. "I made that film ten times in my head, then on paper and then on the computer before we shot a single frame. And that's how I still do it."

This meticulous pre-visualization process was even more extensive on Skeleton Crew, where directors used motion capture to create 3D previz, allowing for iterative notes on pacing, framing, and lighting before shooting. Watts maintains a genre-agnostic approach to his work, stating he is "most attracted to original ideas" but is open to existing franchises if he can "find a way to make it your own and to make it feel original."

What to Expect from the New Web-Slinging Adventure

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in production, with Destin Daniel Cretton (known for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) at the helm. Tom Holland is back as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, joined by Zendaya as Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson and Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds.

While specific plot details remain under wraps, the film is set to introduce some intriguing characters and conflicts. Michael Mando is confirmed to return as Mac Gargan/Scorpion, and Marvin Jones III as Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone, hinting at a grounded, street-level threat. Additionally, MCU mainstays Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle/Punisher and Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk are confirmed to appear, suggesting potential wider connections within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Adding to the excitement, Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear), and Trammel Tillman (Severance) have all been cast in undisclosed roles, sparking much fan speculation. The movie promises a fresh start for Peter Parker after the events of No Way Home, and we'll all get to witness where the web-slinger goes next when Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.

FAQ: All Your Burning Questions About the New Spider-Man Film When does Spider-Man: Brand New Day come out? The film is scheduled to hit theaters on July 31, 2026. Who is directing the new Spider-Man movie? Destin Daniel Cretton, known for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Who is in the cast for Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Tom Holland returns as Spider-Man, alongside Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), Jon Bernthal (Punisher), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Michael Mando (Scorpion), and Marvin Jones III (Tombstone). Sadie Sink, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Trammel Tillman are also cast in undisclosed roles. Are there any plot details available for Spider-Man: Brand New Day? As of now, specific plot details for the film remain under wraps, but it will follow Peter Parker's fresh start after No Way Home. Sources

• Variety, "Spider-Man’s Jon Watts on Feeling ‘Genuinely Weird’ About Brand New Day," November 12, 2025.
• Variety, "‘Spider-Man’ Director Jon Watts on the Surprise Rerelease of His Debut ‘Clown’ and Why It’ll Be ‘Genuinely Weird’ to Watch Tom Holland in ‘Brand New Day’," November 12, 2025.
• Bloody Disgusting, "‘Spider-Man’ Director Jon Watts on the Surprise Rerelease of His Debut ‘Clown’ and Why It’ll Be ‘Genuinely Weird’ to Watch Tom Holland in ‘Brand New Day’," November 12, 2025.