Following Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts’ departure from the project, Marvel may have found their new Fantastic Four director in WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige officially confirmed Fantastic Four would mark the beginning of the MCU’s Phase 6 in 2024. The project was originally set to be directed by Jon Watts, who has helmed Marvel’s Spider-Man series, but following his exit a new director is yet to be named.

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A new report has revealed that Matt Shakman, who previously worked for Marvel on WandaVision, is now in the running to take over Fantastic Four.

WandaVision Success Paves The Way For Fantastic Four

After his success in bringing WandaVision to life on Disney Plus, kicking off Marvel’s wave of limited series, Matt Shakman has reportedly become Kevin Feige’s top choice for Fantastic Four.

Speculation recently flared in recent weeks, connecting Matt Shakman to Fantastic Four. A new report from Deadline confirms the director has entered early discussions with Marvel to helm the upcoming Phase 6 film. No formal offer has yet been made, but Shakman appears to be on track to direct the MCU reboot.

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Disney’s acquisition of Fox’s movie studios saw the film rights to Marvel properties such as X-Men and Fantastic Four returned to Marvel Studios. While there is no official word yet on when an MCU X-Men reboot may materialize, a new Fantastic Four was quickly confirmed to be in the works.

While under Fox’s ownership, Marvel’s first family were adapted for film twice – first in a pair of films released in the early 2000s, which earned a lukewarm reception, and then in 2015’s much maligned reboot.

The pressure is on for Marvel Studios to now prove the Fantastic Four can be a success on the big screen. Following WandaVision‘s rave reviews, Matt Shakman could well be the director for the job.

News of Matt Shakman’s potential involvement with Fantastic Four was first reported by TheDirect.

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Here’s the synopsis for 2015’s Fantastic Four:

A contemporary re-imagining of Marvel’s original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

Directed by Josh Trank, Fantastic Four stars Miles Teller, Michael B Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, and Tim Blake Nelson.

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Source: Deadline