Sony Pictures has ensnared Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton in its mighty web.
The filmmaker, whose Spider-Man movie has now become the highest grossing domestic release of all time and the third highest-grossing film worldwide, has signed a three-year overall deal with the studio behind Brand New Day.
Under the new deal, the Maui-born-and-raised Cretton will develop films to produce through his production company, Hisako Films, alongside the company’s [resident, Jeyun Munford.
The pact does not cover directing although Sony is said to be, naturally, very eager to get Cretton back in the chair for a Brand New Day follow-up. Any studio wanting Cretton’s directing services has to stand in line behind Lionsgate as the filmmaker’s next effort will be a live-action take on popular manga Naruto. That project is due to shoot early next year.
“Destin is a very special human, a deeply thoughtful visionary mind, a brilliant filmmaker in its truest sense and a marvelous storyteller who is a master at understanding the cinematic experience,” said Sanford Panitch, Sony Pictures’ motion picture group president, in a statement. “We at Sony are proud to be making a future together and expanding our relationship with Destin, Jeyun and Hisako Films.”
Added motion picture group CEO Tom Rothman, “Destin is the real deal and we are lucky as hell to be in ongoing business with him and his team. Po’okela!”
Brand New Day has grossed more than $2.452 billion worldwide. The film delivered the biggest domestic opening weekend of all time with $360 million and remained number one at the domestic box office for six consecutive weeks. It also surpassed $1 billion worldwide in just six days, becoming the second-fastest film ever to reach the milestone.
Beyond its record-breaking box office performance, the film has resonated with critics and audiences alike, earning a Certified Fresh 90 percent critics score and a 97 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“I had the best time making Brand New Day with Tom Rothman, Sanford Panitch and their team, and I’m so excited to tell more meaningful stories that people can experience in theaters around the world,” stated Cretton.
Cretton’s banner year also includes the debut of Wonder Man, the Marvel series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sir Ben Kingsley that earned plenty of praise as well as an Emmy nomination for Abdul-Mateen. He co-created, directed, and executive-produced the show.
His Marvel relationship also included directing and co-writing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He also exec produced and directed episodes of the adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese for Disney+. His other feature credits include the award-winning Short Term 12; The Glass Castle, starring Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson; and Just Mercy, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx.
He is repped by WME and Goodman Genow.
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