Jon Watts reveals 'therapy session' with Spider-Man stars

Jon Watts held a “therapy session” with the key cast members of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’.

The 40-year-old filmmaker helmed the superhero blockbuster and reflected on a deep chat he held with lead star Tom Holland – as well as returning Spideys Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire – and supporting stars Zendaya and Jacob Batalon.

Jon told Variety: “We sat on folding chairs in a circle and went through the script together. I had talked to everyone separately, but to have everyone together to talk about the story, how the pieces fit together and what Spider-Man meant to them – that was exciting for me.

“We had the only three actors to ever play Spider-Man in a film, and each had been through so much, on and off screen. It was like a Spider-Man therapy session.”

Jon and his team began work on the concluding movie in his trilogy in late 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic brought things to a halt. Filming started in October 2020 but Watts admits that he feared that COVID-19 could scupper plans to finish the film.

He explained: “There was a question, ‘Will there ever be movies again?’ There was a feeling that the whole filmmaking experience was in jeopardy.

“The first day was completely different from the first day of any film I’ll ever be on, because of the situation. So to be on the set and working, I feel deep gratitude. I think everyone else also felt that gratitude and I hope that comes across.”

Jon also explained how the COVID-19 crisis changed how the movie was filmed as they were unable to have a large number of extras for a scene.

He said: “Before Covid, we planned a big New York location shoot with tons of extras. That became impossible. Even the most basic shot, of Peter Parker walking down the street, became a multilayered VFX shot.”