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Jon Watts Reveals He Cancelled Wolfs Sequel: "I No Longer Trust Apple as a Creative Partner"

TVexperto

Member
Watts:

“I showed Apple my final cut of Wolfs early this year. They were extremely enthusiastic about it and immediately commissioned me to start writing a sequel. But their last minute shift from a promised wide theatrical release to a streaming release was a total surprise and made without any explanation or discussion. I wasn’t even told about it until less than a week before they announced it to the world. I was completely shocked and asked them to please not include the news that I was writing a sequel. They ignored my request and announced it in their press release anyway, seemingly to create a positive spin to their streaming pivot. And so I quietly returned the money they gave me for the sequel. I didn’t want to talk about it because I was proud of the film and didn’t want to generate any unnecessary negative press. I loved working with Brad and George (and Amy and Austin and Poorna and Zlatko) and would happily do it again. But the truth is that Apple didn’t cancel the Wolfs sequel, I did, because I no longer trusted them as a creative partner.”

Amazing move on his part

 

clarky

Gold Member
I had no idea that Wolfs movie was out, gonna check it out tonight.

Also fuck Apple for screwing this guy over, but in all fairness this dude isn't exactly David Fincher or whatever.
Its fucking awful. Likely hes full of shit no way was a sequel making it to the theatre.
 

Hugare

Member
Had to Google him

He was the director of the mediocre Marvel Spider-man movies and pretty much nothing else worth mentioning. Havent watched Wolfs, but critics (and people) are saying its shit.

Dude is acting like a diva instead of thanking Apple for approving the undeserving sequel of his mediocre movie. You're no Scorsese, dude.

Also, "I didnt want to talk about it, but I just did" screams of pettiness
 

K' Dash

Member
The Spider-Man movies he directed are some of the worst directing I've ever seen in a movie. So lazy, uninspired and by the books. Haven't seen Wolfs but those movies was enough for me to write off this director forever.

I'm not writing off the director, because Disney can also be fucking restrictive, but yeah the Spidey Movies are AWFUL, I despise the casting except Marisa Tomei and the fat kid. Tom Holland is the worst Spidey by a looooooooong shot.
 

near

Gold Member
He got what I assume was an expensive film greenlit, that would've quite possibly bombed at the box office. Nice way to burn a bridge with Apple.
 

jonnyp

Member
Wolfs is a lazy, generic nothing-burger of a movie. Straight to streaming was the only logical call as it would've bombed.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
I'm trying to tell why people are getting so hung up on the quality of the movie, instead of acknowledging how horrible it is these streaming platforms keep lying to their directors with promises of a theater release.
I've got to imagine that the quality of the movie has a lot to do with them not going wide on a release though. He probably should just be happy they didn't just burn the film like with Batgirl.
 
I've got to imagine that the quality of the movie has a lot to do with them not going wide on a release though. He probably should just be happy they didn't just burn the film like with Batgirl.
It didn't with Road House and Amazon. If you're promised a theatrical release, you should get one. These companies seem to be starting an anti-theater trend of lying to their directors and changing their agreements at the last minute, and I think people should voice their objections about that.
 

near

Gold Member
It didn't with Road House and Amazon. If you're promised a theatrical release, you should get one. These companies seem to be starting an anti-theater trend of lying to their directors and changing their agreements at the last minute, and I think people should voice their objections about that.
A promise isn’t an obligation. Ultimately, Apple felt it would be in their best interest to confine its release to Apple TV+. Their investment, their decision.

If Jon Watts is wanted a theatrical release, he would’ve went with a distributor that could provide that. He opted for a streaming service because they were probably the only ones willing to give him the budget he needed to make the film. He comes across a little ungrateful in my opinion.
 
A promise isn’t an obligation. Ultimately, Apple felt it would be in their best interest to confine its release to Apple TV+. Their investment, their decision.

If Jon Watts is wanted a theatrical release, he would’ve went with a distributor that could provide that. He opted for a streaming service because they were probably the only ones willing to give him the budget he needed to make the film. He comes across a little ungrateful in my opinion.
The same thing happened with Road House, and I don't agree that it's okay for these streaming companies to go back on the deals they make with their filmmakers.

 

jason10mm

Gold Member
It didn't with Road House and Amazon. If you're promised a theatrical release, you should get one. These companies seem to be starting an anti-theater trend of lying to their directors and changing their agreements at the last minute, and I think people should voice their objections about that.
I imagine a fair number of direct to video films MIGHT have gotten theatrical runs had the studio more confidence in them. Makes sense if they knew this was gonna tank hard that they would switch to a minimal advertising model and stick it on streaming. Any additional $$$ on getting theater space and ads doesn't work.
 

near

Gold Member
The same thing happened with Road House, and I don't agree that it's okay for these streaming companies to go back on the deals they make with their filmmakers.

I’m not saying it’s right that they did this, but if they’re not obliged to they don’t have to.

Aside from the Road House film which seems like it fell into the hands of Amazon through acquisition, plenty of directors approach streaming services because they literally cannot get anyone else to finance there films. Most studios do not want to risk investing in a project that they know will not draw big audiences, and it’s quite easy to tell with films.

Take Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, and Ridley’s Napoleon. Both demanded large budgets, both demanded theatrical releases, both took years to land distributors and both bombed at the box office.

Keeping Wolfs exclusive to Apple TV+ might seem like a dick move, but was still appreciated by Apple, who Jon Watts is publicly slating. They even gave him money for a sequel. Seems ungrateful, all just to get a few weeks at the box office.
 

FireFly

Member
I'm not writing off the director, because Disney can also be fucking restrictive, but yeah the Spidey Movies are AWFUL, I despise the casting except Marisa Tomei and the fat kid. Tom Holland is the worst Spidey by a looooooooong shot.
Maybe the 1st two movies, but No Way Home was well received by both audiences and critics.
 

Hugare

Member
I doubt that there was no clause in their contracts saying that Apple/Amazon could do whatever they want with the movie.

If not, go to court. It's that simple.

But dont act like a spoiled child now since you've signed the contract already
 

K' Dash

Member
Maybe the 1st two movies, but No Way Home was well received by both audiences and critics.

I agree the third one is the best of the 3, it is good because of Tobey, Andrew, Alfred and Willem. I mean, look at that fucking cast, even if you purposely tried to fuck it up, just the actors would elevate the film.
 
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