Jonathan Levine, Jared Hess And More In Running To Direct Standalone 'Spider-Man,' Drew Goddard Seemingly Out

A couple of months ago, it was rumored that  Drew Goddard had been tasked to write and direct "Spider-Man: The New Avenger." It was a nice rebound for the director who left "Daredevil" to helm "Sinister Six," only to see Sony's Spider-Man franchise implode. But with a new deal struck with Marvel earlier this year, it looked like Goddard was still in the ranks. Perhaps not.

Deadline reports that a new brace of directors are up for the gig: Jonathan Levine ("50/50," "Warm Bodies"), Ted Melfi ("St. Vincent"), Jason Moore ("Pitch Perfect"), John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein ("Vacation"), and Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Nacho Libre"). While these names might seem like oddball choices for 'Spider-Man,' remember that Kevin Feige has described this new incarnation "a non-stop wit" and these choices all know comedy very, very well. Not only...