Jon Watts, the director of the MCU's Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy, is reportedly in talks to direct an upcoming movie that many will find fascinating. Since finishing up his Spider-Man trilogy, Jon Watts has taken his talents to different places. He joined the Star Wars universe to create, write, produce, and direct the Skeleton Crew series on Disney+. Watts also sat behind the camera for the Brad Pitt and George Clooney-led Wolfs film on Apple TV+, and even directed a couple of episodes of FX's The Old Man.
Filmmaker Jon Watts is being eyed to direct an upcoming biopic titled Muppet Man, which will explore the life and legacy of Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets and a notable creative mind behind Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. The upcoming Muppet Man film has been in development for some time now, so this update indicates that it will begin moving forward at a quicker rate.
According to industry insider Daniel Richtman via Patreon, Watts is in talks to direct the upcoming film. This would be Watts' first movie since 2024's Wolfs and mark a reunion between Watts and Disney for a feature film for the first time since Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Richtman also detailed that Oscar-nominated writer Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Cinderella, and Rogue One) will be penning the script:
"Jon Watts (Spider-Man Home trilogy) is in talks to direct 'Muppet Man,' a biopic about Jim Henson. Written by Chris Weitz."
Jim Henson tragically passed away in 1990 from toxic shock syndrome brought on by Streptococcus pyogenes. However, due to The Muppets being comedic staples in the world of entertainment, Henson's legacy has lived on in various ways on-screen and off, such as at Walt Disney World theme parks.
Why Jon Watts is the Perfect Director For Muppet Man
While Jon Watts has never been attached to a biopic, it is hard to imagine a better project for him to take on. Throughout his filmography (particularly the Spider-Man movies and Skeleton Crew), Watts has proven that he can evoke emotion from an audience and bring serious, deep sequences to the screen while also including comedy.
Jim Henson's story is all about comedy, but also heartbreak and emotion. Therefore, one would have to assume that Muppet Man will feature plenty of comedy, but also a lot of heaviness.
If that is the case, Watts has proven that he can effectively showcase both of those at the same time, so it is hard to imagine another director being a better fit for Muppet Man.
