Spider-Man director reveals why he stepped down from making Marvel movie Fantastic Four: "I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great"

Jon Watts, the director behind the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy, has revealed why he stepped away from helming The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

"I am out of gas," he told The Hollywood Reporter of the realization that led to his decision. "The COVID layer on top of making a giant movie layer, I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great. I was just out of steam, so I just needed to take some time to recover.

"Everyone at Marvel totally understood," he continued. "They had been through it with me as well, so they knew how hard and draining that experience has been; in the end, very satisfying, but at some point, if you can't do it at the level that you feel like you need to for it to be great, then it's better to not do it."

WandaVision's Matt Shakman took over directing duties instead, and the Marvel Phase 6 film is arriving in just a few weeks on July 25. Watts added that "it's going to be totally surreal experience for me to go and watch that movie."

Pedro Pascal stars as Reed Richards, with Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. Ralph Ineson will play big bad Galactus, with Julia Garner as his herald the Silver Surfer.

While you wait for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows or how to watch the Marvel movies in order to get up to speed.