Jon Watts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jon Watts
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Watts at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
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Jonathan Watts
June 28, 1981 Fountain, Colorado, U.S.
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| Education | New York University |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | Director of Spider-Man films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) |
| Spouse(s) | Dianne McGunigle |
Jonathan Watts (born June 28, 1981) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is famous for directing the Spider-Man movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). These movies include Homecoming (2017), Far From Home (2019), and No Way Home (2021). Watts also directed and helped write the films Clown (2014), Cop Car (2015), and Wolfs (2024). He also directed many episodes of the funny TV news show Onion News Network. Watts has also directed music videos for electronic music artists like Fatboy Slim.
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Early Life and Education
Watts was born and grew up in Fountain, Colorado. He went to Fountain-Fort Carson High School there. Later, he studied film at New York University.
Watts' Career in Film
Watts started his career by directing commercials. He worked for a company called Park Pictures.
Early Short Films and Music Videos
Watts' first film was a short called Clay Pride: Being Clay in America. It was a claymation film that made fun of movies about certain social issues. The main character, Steve Thompson, reveals he is "clay." For the next ten years, Watts kept making short films. He also directed many music videos for artists like Fatboy Slim and Death Cab for Cutie. Some of his videos were even shown on the TV show Online Nation.
Directing Feature Films
Watts' first full-length movie was the horror film Clown in 2014.
His next movie was the thriller Cop Car in 2015. This film is about two young boys who steal a police car. They are then chased by the car's dangerous owner, a Sheriff played by Kevin Bacon. Watts shared that the idea for this movie came from a dream he had as a child.
Watts then directed Spider-Man: Homecoming. He really wanted to direct this movie. He even sent Marvel clips of a fake Spider-Man movie trailer he made. He was very surprised when he got the job.
Watts also directed the sequel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, in 2019. He became very dedicated to the Spider-Man movies. He even started collecting rare spiders!
Watts directed the third Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home, released in 2021. In this film, he also did the motion-capture for Sandman. The original voice actor, Thomas Haden Church, returned for the voice. Watts was going to direct The Fantastic Four: First Steps for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he left that project in April 2022. Watts also directed a special scene at the end of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. This scene connected to No Way Home. It was filmed while No Way Home was being made.
In 2021, it was announced that Watts would write and direct the thriller film Wolfs. This movie stars famous actors George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Watts also produced the movie with them. Apple Studios bought the movie, planning a big release in theaters. However, the release plan changed to a limited release closer to the movie's debut.
In 2022, Watts and his wife were announced as co-producers for the sixth Final Destination movie. Watts also wrote an idea for the story.
In May 2022, it was shared that Watts would create a Star Wars TV series for Disney+. This show is inspired by Amblin Entertainment films. It takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi. The series is called Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and is set to come out in 2024.
In September 2024, Watts and his wife, Dianne McGunigle, signed a deal with Walt Disney Studios. Through their company, Freshman Year, Watts will direct movies for Disney live-action and 20th Century Studios. He will also have the option to produce them.
Personal Life
Watts is married to Dianne McGunigle. She used to be a talent agent and producer.
Filmography
Movies Watts Directed
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Clown | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Cop Car | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2017 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | Yes | No | No | |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | Yes | No | No | Also did motion-capture for Sandman |
| 2024 | Wolfs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Other Movie Roles
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | I Can See You | Jake |
| 2015 | Creative Control | Commercial Director |
| 2021 | Venom: Let There Be Carnage | Directed mid-credits scene (Uncredited) |
Television Shows Watts Worked On
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Onion News Network | Yes | Co-executive | No | Directed 10 episodes |
| The Fuzz | Yes | Yes | Yes | TV pilot | |
| 2012 | Eugene! | Yes | Executive | Yes | TV movie |
| 2022 | The Old Man | Yes | Executive | No | Directed episodes "I" and "II" |
| 2024—present | Star Wars: Skeleton Crew | Yes | Executive | Yes | Showrunner and creator Directed 2 episodes Written 6 episodes |
Music Videos Watts Directed
| Year | Title | Artist |
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| 2004 | "Stepping Off" | Jason Forrest |
| "Wonderful Night" | Fatboy Slim | |
| "The Joker" | ||
| 2005 | "The Irish Keep Gate-crashing" | The Thrills |
| "The Beautiful Side of Somewhere" | The Wallflowers | |
| "We Live on Your Street" | The Willowz | |
| "Beating Heart Baby" | Head Automatica | |
| "When the Lights Go Down" | Armand van Helden | |
| "Soul Meets Body" | Death Cab for Cutie | |
| "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" | Relient K | |
| "Into Your Eyes" | Armand van Helden | |
| 2006 | "We Are One Tonight" | Switchfoot |
| "That Old Pair of Jeans" | Fatboy Slim | |
| "Oh, Mandy" | The Spinto Band | |
| "White Daisy Passing" | Rocky Votolato | |
| "Wolf Like Me" | TV on the Radio | |
| "Taking Back Control" | Sparta | |
| 2007 | "Pieces of the People We Love" | The Rapture |
| "Pressure Suit" | Aqualung | |
| "The Beauty in Ugly" | Jason Mraz | |
| 2008 | "Dust" | Royworld |
| 2009 | "Candle (Sick and Tired)" | The White Tie Affair |
| 2010 | "Young Girl" | Dawn Landes |
| "Brand New Day" | Joshua Radin | |
| "Destroy" | The Japanese Popstars ft. Jon Spencer | |
| 2011 | "Rill Rill" | Sleigh Bells |
| "Save the World" | Swedish House Mafia |
Images for kids
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Watts at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
See also
In Spanish: Jon Watts para niños
- List of New York University alumni
