Spike Lee is reportedly set to direct Nightwatch, a new Spiderman spin-off movie for Sony. Luke Cage writer and creator Cheo Hodari Coker will write the script. Coker is also currently working on co-writing Creed 2.
The Hashtag Show has reported that Lee and Coker are now formally attached to the film after rumors of Lee’s involvement have swirled for the last few months.
Nightwatch is a relatively obscure Marvel character who made his debut in Web of Spiderman #97 in February 1993. He later got a solo comic series which revolved around Dr. Kevin Trench after he witnessed a costumed hero die. Trench learns that the man is a future version of himself in the Nightwatch costume and flees to the desert with the suit to avoid this fate. The character has played significant roles in many crossover events over the years.
Nightwatch is the latest film in Sony’s push to build a shared Spiderman universe. Sony has had issues getting their universe off the ground since The Amazing Spiderman films failed to do so. This forced Sony to scrap their original plans and partner with Marvel to reboot the Spiderman universe. However, Sony has chosen to go more experimental with the properties in their universe than Marvel. Their upcoming projects include Venom, a body horror inspired film, Silver & Black a buddy adventure following Black Cat and Silver Sable as well as the rumored supernatural horror Morbius the Living Vampire. Nightwatch fits into the darker tone Sony is building as he has traditionally appeared as a villain in the comics.
Very little is known about the film now outside of Lee and Coker’s involvement so it will likely be a couple years before Nightwatch arrives in theaters.
