Jon Watts is best known for directing the Tom Holland-starring “ Spider-Man ” movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing a youthful charm to the franchise, which he most recently replicated in the jovial Disney+ “ Star Wars ” series “Skeleton Crew.” So one might be surprised to learn that Watts began his career directing a dark, low-budget, horror film produced by Eli Roth.

“I was definitely not aspiring to make uplifting action comedies,” Watts tells Variety , reflecting on his unlikely career trajectory.

Watts’ first feature, “ Clown ,” is a body horror film that he co-wrote with his regular writing partner, Christopher Ford. The film began as a fake trailer that he and Ford released on YouTube in 2010, introducing the premise of a father who dresses up as a clown for h

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