For the past three films, Jon Watts has re-introduced the world to Spider-Man and Tom Holland‘s version of the Marvel character has become the most popular incarnation thus far. However, Watts has stepped down from directing dues in the upcoming sequel. There’s been plenty of rumors about who could step into that spot, but two names have consistently come up: Drew Goddard and Justin Lin.
Both have high credentials. Drew Goddard is known as the writer of the acclaimed Daredevil series on Netflix. He also did The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at The El Royale. Justin Lin is infamously known for directing five Fast and Furious movies. On the directing side, Lin has tons more experience than Goddard, but as a screenwriter, Goddard has a versatile set of projects under his belt. Despite Lin’s experience at making blockbusters, Drew Goddard is the better choice for the upcoming Spider-Man 4 film.
Justin Lin Has Better Blockbuster Experience
As previously mentioned, Lin has experience in making blockbusters. That’s a crucial factor because that level of filmmaking is a different experience than low to mid-budget films. When you’re pouring so much money into a high-profile movie such as Spider-Man, the goal is simple: Make as much money as possible. Granted, this is a goal for EVERY film, but executives give more leeway or creative freedom to directors when a film isn’t past $100 million. A filmmaker doing a blockbuster MUST cater to the mainstream audience.
That doesn’t mean you can’t make a GREAT blockbuster. There are too many examples to list. Though Justin Lin has better blockbuster experience, that shouldn’t be the determining factor for their decision. Jon Watts didn’t have any blockbuster experience when he joined the Spider-Man franchise. The same goes for Christopher Nolan before The Batman trilogy. Or James Gunn before The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. No studio simply gives a filmmaker a blockbuster out of the gate. As talented as Lin is as a filmmaker, Goddard has a more impressive filmography than Lin.
Drew Goddard Has A More Diverse Filmography
Drew Goddard has only directed two movies, but those films showcase the filmmaker’s level of talent. The Cabin of the Woods celebrated horror by playing off the tropes of the genre and subverting expectations. He crafted fun characters and told an engaging story with an insane (in a good way) climax. Bad Times at The El Royale was more Tarantino-esque. The creative choices he made stylistically and story-wise show that he has a good knack for crafting compelling characters and original stories. Both films are great!
Goddard has also helped write The Martian, Cloverfield, and World War Z. His diverse filmography could open up new parallels to the Spider-Man universe. Granted, this is the fourth film, so Goddard shouldn’t veer too far from what Watts previously established, but he’s able to expand beyond the scope of a blockbuster and introduce elements that bring out the best of the franchise. Plus, he understands how to write strong characters with tons and depth; based on his Daredevil series, he also understands how to craft a superhero story that respects the comics properly, yet adds a new wrinkle or two that brings out the best of said character.
Drew Goddard Is More Than Likely To Keep Spider-Man Grounded
Spider-Man 4 needs to be grounded. I hope Sony makes the right decision and doesn’t try to do another team-up film with Andrew Garfield and Toby McGuire. Justin Lin has some story credits, but there’s some concern that he could lean towards the campy and over-the-top style when it comes to Spider-Man. Lin did help write F9 and Fast X. The focus of Peter Parker should be a personal journey following the crazy events that took place in No Way Home.
There’s no telling on what direction Kevin Feige wants to go for the next Spider-Man. Drew Goddard will do his best to explore more of the humanity behind the masked vigilante entertainingly. Of course, he won’t falter on the action whenever it calls for it. Drew Goddard may not have the blockbuster experience that Justin Lin has, but he’s more of a well-rounded filmmaker that better suits the Spider-Man franchise.
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