Kevin Feige comments on the status of the Spider-Man 4 director search as Marvel Studios continues working on Tom Holland’s Marvel Cinematic Universe return. Following the ending to Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker’s journey is expected to continue in the MCU. With a great critical reception and an impressive box office take of $1.9 billion dollars, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios are working together again on Spider-Man 4, which remains in early development.

In a new interview with CinemaBlend, Feige was asked about the chances of Jon Watts, who directed the MCU’s three Spider-Man movies, helming Spider-Man 4. While Feige has nothing but love for Watts, the Marvel Studios boss made it clear that they will likely have someone else direct Spider-Man 4, sharing the following:

We love Jon. Jon did three of the best Spider-Man films ever for us. He’s got lots of things going on now. So we’ll probably be looking for somebody else, just because he’s busy.

Who Might Direct Spider-Man 4?

Two Rumored Contenders Might Be Perfect

Since the Spider-Man 4 script is being written, a director will likely be tapped once they have completed the screenplay before they proceed to look at casting and filming dates. Whether or not a director will be hired by the end of the year remains to be seen, but it is a possibility. With that in mind, there have been various rumors about who may actually direct Spider-Man 4. Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have yet to comment on or debunk those reports.

After having worked on Ms. Marvel for Marvel Studios, there have been rumors about Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah possibly directing Spider-Man 4. While they haven’t given a solid answer about whether they are truly talking to Marvel, El Arbi and Fallah would be a solid fit for Spider-Man 4. If it’s true that Spider-Man 4 will be a more grounded story, with a bigger focus on Peter’s street-level adventures, Fallah and El Arbi would be perfect.

El Arbi and Fallah are also known for directing the two most recent Bad Boys movies, indicating their experience with more realistic action sequences.

The big question, however, is if Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures will make a shared announcement at next week’s San Diego Comic-Con event. Having a Spider-Man 4 surprise at San Diego Comic-Con would be fitting, especially since there has been very little concrete news about the sequel. With Marvel expected to outline their revised conclusion to the Multiverse Saga, a fresh, official update on Holland’s next MCU outing could come sooner rather than later.