Spider-Man 4 Director Update: Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton in Talks to Helm Next Spidey MCU Film
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton is reportedly in talks to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to helm Spider-Man 4.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton is reportedly in talks to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to helm Spider-Man 4.
First details on what could be the comic book veteran’s next Marvel movie come a The Hollywood Reporter report. It’s said that the filmmaker is only in negotiations to direct what will become the fourth Tom Holland Spidey flick, meaning he’s not officially signed on quite yet.
The first three Spider-Man MCU movies – Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home – were directed by Jon Watts. With Cretton stepping in, it shows Marvel’s continued interested in bringing his expertise from Shang-Chi to other areas of its superhero universe. He’s also been tapped to serve as an executive producer for the Disney+ Wonder Man series, and he stated in 2021 that he had already begun early work on Shang-Chi 2. Cretton was also picked to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before it morphed into Avengers: Doomsday this past July. Cretton is officially out of the directing spot for that project, with Joe and Anthony Russo set to take over instead.
With Avengers off of his plate, Cretton is instead being eyed for Spider-Man 4 – and it may not be long before we find out if he’ll land the spot. The Hollywood Reporter’s sources say that the film is “running, not crawling, full steam ahead” with plans to begin shooting in early 2025. Also attached to the web-head movie are Marvel’s Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal as producers, with Spider-Man experts Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers back to write the script.
Holland’s version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man has evolved since the character first appeared in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. No Way Home last saw the New York-based hero swinging in new threads after a spell saw his existence wiped from everyone across the globe. The 2021 crossover film ended with a bang, so with no plot details revealed yet, Cretton is left with a nearly blank slate to work with.
For more on everything the MCU is cooking up, you can read up on why Holland says he won’t make Spider-Man 4 just for the sake of getting another film under his belt. You can also check out our 8/10 review of Shang-Chi and learn about Cretton’s upcoming live-action Naruto movie.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
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