The creative, along with his production company Freshman Year and producer Dianne McGunigle, will direct feature length projects for the film studio and its subsidiary 20th Century Studios.
Feature Deal Development:
- Deadline exclusively reports that Jon Watts has signed a first-look feature deal with Walt Disney Studios.
- Watts, who worked with Marvel on Spider-Man: No Way Home, will direct new live-action films for the studio with the option to produce.
- The first-look deal provides the media company first dibs on Watt's projects, giving the director a committed source of financing. If the studio chooses to pass on the project, Watt’s would still be able to work with a third party.
- This new deal is a continued relationship for the creative and Disney. Currently, Watts executive produces FX’s The Only Man. Watts is also co-creator and executive producer of Disney+’s upcoming Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. The new limited series will premiere on December 3rd.
- Watts’ Sundance entry Cop Car, which was made on an $800,000 budget, caught the attention of Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures. After being tapped to direct the final film in the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy, Watts proved his ability to create a blockbuster with the film becoming the third highest grossing film in US history.
- Currently, Watts’ New York-based Freshman Year production company and McGunigle are working on several projects. These include Warner Brothers’ Final Destination: Bloodlines and Amazon’s adaptation of the Murder 101 podcast.
What They’re Saying:
- David Greenbaum, President of Disney live action and 20th Century Studios: “Jon Watts is a truly gifted filmmaker who brings spectacle, humor and heart to whatever he does. I am so excited to work with him and his producing partner Dianne McGunigle on a slate of upcoming projects for Disney and 20th.”
- Jon Watts: “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. 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.”
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