Sony almost had some major influence over Spider-Man: Brand New Day! A recent rumor reveals their original plans for who would serve as director.
One of the elements of Spider-Man: Brand New Day that fans are most excited about is the fact that Destin Daniel Cretton is being brought on as director. His role helming Shang-Chi proves that he has an eye for action, which will likely bring a much more tactile feel to the upcoming project. However, if the rumor mill is to be believed, this wasn’t always Sony’s plan.
A rumor from MyTimeToShineHello reveals that, originally, Sony Pictures wanted Jon Watts to remain as the director for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Watts was the director for Tom Holland’s first trilogy in the MCU. While he initially stepped away to helm The Fantastic Four: First Steps, he eventually dropped that project to focus on his own ventures.
Sony’s Venomous Plans For Spider-Man: Brand New Day
The rumor continues on to say that, after Jon Watts officially dropped out of the project, Sony wanted Ruben Fleischer to helm Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Fleisher was the director of the first Venom film, as well as the Zombieland duology. However, it seems as though Kevin Feige himself stepped in to make sure Destin Daniel Cretton got the job.
“When it became clear that it wasn’t going to happen, there was a short period when he wanted Venom’s Ruben Fleischer to direct. Kevin Feige rejected the idea and instead courted Destin Daniel Cretton to do it.”
Given the controversial nature of the Venom films, it makes sense why Kevin Feige would veto Ruben Fleischer serving as the director of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While it’s a shame that the film means fans will likely have to wait even longer for a Shang-Chi sequel, at the very least Destin Daniel Cretton is keeping Sony from stepping on yet another rake.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters July 31st, 2026. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding Spider-Man’s Marvel Cinematic Universe future!
