LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 26: Director Destin Daniel Cretton on stage at the "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" UK Gala Screening at Curzon Cinema Mayfair on August 26, 2021 in London, England.
(Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Disney)

‘We won!’: Fans overjoyed upon hearing that ‘Shang-Chi’s director will likely be working on ‘Spider-Man 4’

Destin Daniel Cretton, director of one of Marvel’s most successful films post-Avengers: Endgame, is a very busy man. He’s already attached to the Shang-Chi sequel and the Naruto live-action adaption, but from the news circulating online, it appears he’s about to get even busier directing Spider-Man 4.

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Though he’s worked in the industry for over two decades, Cretton made a name for himself with his debut for Marvel directing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Now the franchise can’t seem to get enough of him and the director is attached to several projects, the most recent of which appears to be the fourth installment in Marvel and Sony’s Spider-Man franchise.

The update hit the internet earlier this week, with The Hollywood Reporter announcing that he was in talks to take on the coveted role. If he is officially announced as the director, he will provide a fresh spin on the franchise, as the last three solo Spider-Man films have been directed by Jon Watts. Cretton was originally set to take on the role of directing one of the Avengers movies at the end of the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but that film has been shelved after the fallout from actor Jonathan Majors’ domestic violence trial.

Tom Holland as Peter Parker in Avengers: Endgame (Marvel Studios)
(Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Fans were overjoyed to hear that Cretton would likely be at the helm of the beloved franchise, which will see Tom Holland step back into the red and blue spandex. Many took to social media to state their joy over the impending decision. One fan posted on X, “Destin Daniel Cretton is directing SM4 we won” whilst another wrote, “If they let him cook and I mean truly cook this could be the best decision Marvel has ever made please Fiege/Sony I’m begging you not to f**k this shit up.”

It’s no surprise that fans are delighted, given how well his Shang-Chi film was received. With epic fight scenes that drew inspiration from old Hong Kong movies, a dynamic lead actor, and Michelle Yeoh (how can you go wrong with Michelle Yeoh), Shang-Chi has been one of the better-received films since Avengers: Endgame.

It looks as though Cretton has a busy few years ahead of him. Not only will he have the responsibility of nailing Spider-Man 4, but he also has to deliver a worthy Shang-Chi sequel, a Marvel Wonder Man TV mini-series, and, on top of all that, a live-action adaption of one of the most beloved anime in the world, Naruto. Cretton didn’t just take a big bite, he took the whole buffet table!

What do you think of Cretton likely directing Spider-Man 4? Let us know in the comments!


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Laura Pollacco
Laura Pollacco (she/her) is a contributing writer here at The Mary Sue, having written for digital media since 2022 and has a keen interest in all things Marvel, Lord of the Rings, and anime. She has worked for various publications including We Got This Covered, but much of her work can be found gracing the pages of print and online publications in Japan, where she resides. Outside of writing she treads the boards as an actor, is a portrait and documentary photographer, and takes the little free time left to explore Japan.