Ted Melfi and Jonathan Levine top shortlist to direct Spider-Man

Over the weekend Sony and Marvel screen tested half a dozen actors for the role of superhero webslinger Spider-Man, with a firm decision expected to arrive at some point this week. As the pressure is on to secure a youngster to portray the teenage Peter Parker, talk has turned to who will direct the Spidey spinoff. After what Deadline describes as a “long vetting process” the studios have narrowed down their choices for the dream gig.

A previous shortlist emerged in early May which included Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies), Ted Melfi (St. Vincent), Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect), Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. Goldstein (the upcoming Vacation remake). The former two have now emerged as the top candidates to snag the gig, with the latter pair apparently still in contention. Interestingly enough - considering this is a shortlist - Jon Watts, who directed the Kevin Bacon Sundance hit Cop Car, has also been added to the list of hopefuls.

Gem Seddon is a freelance writer working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.