Spider-Man Director Jon Watts to Helm New Star Wars Film, Sparking Fan Debate Marvel fans react as Spider-Man director Jon Watts is set to direct a new Star Wars film, written by Simon Kinberg, following the 2027 release of Star Wars: Starfighter. Marvel fans are expressing frustration after Lucasfilm announced that Spider-Man director Jon Watts will direct the next major Star Wars film in a new trilogy. The announcement came this week, and a section of MCU fans took to social media to voice their concerns about the decision. Watts is known for directing the Marvel Studios Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland. Fan Reaction to the Star Wars HireFollowing the announcement, many fans questioned whether Watts is the right filmmaker to tackle a new chapter in the Star Wars universe. One user, @Drew_s17, asked rhetorically whether the lesson had been learned from comparing Watts' Spider-Man trilogy to the latest film. That post drew a line between the critical reception of Watts' Spider-Man trilogy and that of the most recent Spider-Man film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.Many critics and fans noted that Cretton's direction was far more sophisticated, using more complex imagery to depict Spider-Man's adventure. One commenter wrote that Watts escaped the Spider-Man mines only to get back into working in the Star Wars universe. Another user criticized the decision to move forward with the Skywalker saga, comparing Watts' work with Sam Raimi's and noting that they did not like his films after Spider-Man: Homecoming.Jon Watts Career Beyond Spider-ManWhen speaking of franchises, the comparison is understandable, but Watts has taken on other projects. Following 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, Watts took a break to direct Apple TV's Wolfs. The filmmaker also directed episodes of The Old Man, then directed and served as showrunner on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.The decision to hire Watts for the franchise's next big-screen adventure, following 2027's Star Wars: Starfighter, has been controversial. While Watts' Spider-Man trilogy was commercially successful, fans are unsure whether his filmmaking style is suited to the Star Wars franchise.Star Wars Development and Previous PlansOver the many years following Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney has tried to develop a sequel to the film. Initially, Disney and Lucasfilm announced that Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy would direct Star Wars Episode X, which would have followed Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker.However, progress on that version was slow, and then it was canceled. Simon Kinberg is writing Watts' upcoming Star Wars film. Disney has yet to announce a title or release date for the film.