While producer/writer/director Alex Kurtzman was at the CBS portion of the TCA Press Tour for his latest TV venture Scorpion, it provided an opportunity to catch up with him about some of the projects he currently has in various stages of development in the film world.

During an interview with Collider and a couple of other outlets, talk went to the building of a Monster Universe with the classic movie monsters, which he’s kicking off with The Mummy, that he’d be honored if Guillermo del Toro wanted to get involved with Frankenstein, once they get to that stage, his big picture view of the Monster Universe, and how some monsters will get their own movie while others are supporting characters in other monster movies.  He also talked about where things are at with The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and that they’re just trying to figure things out, at this stage, working with Drew Goddard on Sinister Six, and his plans to direct Venom after that.  And of course, no conversation with Kurtzman would be complete without an update on the feature film of Locke & Key.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Question:  You’re doing all of these TV projects and a lot of film work.  What do you have to keep a bird’s eye view on, and what do you have to keep hands on? 

ALEX KURTZMAN:  The first thing you have to do is hire a really good team.  Part of our job is to stay at 30,000 feet, to make sure the ship is steering in the right direction and to let everybody do what they’re good at doing.  And then, there are certain projects that I’ll write on very heavily.  It’s a balancing act, for sure.  My day starts early. 

On the cinematic side, what’s front and center on your plate, right now?

KURTZMAN:  Front and center right now is Chris Morgan and I working on getting The Mummy off the ground and building up our Monster Universe.  That’s where I’m spending my time.  And working with Drew Goddard on Sinister Six. 

Guillermo del Toro has always loved Frankenstein.  Would you want to get him involved, in some way?

KURTZMAN:  Nothing would make us happier.  We’re only at the beginning exploratory phase of all of it, but I’m a crazy huge Guillermo del Toro fan.  So, anything he wants to be involved in, we’d be honored. 

What is your big picture view of the Monster Universe that you’re working on?

KURTZMAN:  I think it’s incredibly important to all of us to start focusing on each movie, and make each movie great, rather than thinking, “Okay, we want to do The Avengers next.”  If that comes along, it will come along organically.  When I was a kid, going to Universal Studios, which was all I wanted to do, all the time, there was a show that was all the monsters, and I loved that show.  I was obsessed with Dracula.  I was obsessed with Frankenstein.  I was obsessed with the Wolfman.  This guy used to get stretched on a rack, live and in front of the audience.  It was so cool.  It’s very exciting.  It’s like being a kid in a candy store, getting to play with all those things again, at the very studio that birthed these monsters, in the first place.  Most importantly, we’re really wanting to just do each one right.  I think the world will come to us, if we build them correctly.

Is there a lesser one in the monster pantheon that you’re hoping to make an A-lister?

KURTZMAN:  Some monsters will get their own movie.  Other monsters will appear in other movies, as secondary characters.  The balance of that is what we’re working out right now.

What do you love about the idea of Sinister Six?

KURTZMAN:  I am a crazy fan of movies like The Wild Bunch or Wages of Fear, where you’re rooting for the bad guys.  I think that’s the opportunity that Sinister Six has to provide. 

Where are you at with The Amazing Spider-Man 3, in terms of timing? 

KURTZMAN:  It’s still in conversation.  Everybody is still figuring it out. 

So, it’s too soon to say when we’ll see it?

KURTZMAN:  It’s all up for grabs, right now.  We’re just trying to figure it out.

And where will Venom fit in?

KURTZMAN:  Venom will come after Sinister Six, I think is the plan.

And you’ll direct that?

KURTZMAN:  Yeah. 

Fans are clamoring for more female-starring superhero films, and you’ve got Black Cat in that universe.  Is there any chance we could see her?

KURTZMAN:  Anything is possible.  We are always looking for opportunities like that.  I can’t say a whole lot about it, but I wouldn’t rule anything out.

Would you like to see her in the next Spider-Man film, since you did set up her alter-ego?

KURTZMAN:  Possibly, sure.

Do you have some connective tissue planned between Sinister Six and Venom?

KURTZMAN:  Everything is still on the table, right now.  Because it’s a universe outside of the Spider-Man universe, even though it’s connected to it, those movies have to stand on their own.  So, we’ll see.  We’ll see how it goes.

About a year ago, you said that Locke & Key was moving ahead as a feature film, to set up as a possible franchise.  Where are you at with that?

KURTZMAN:  We’re waiting on a script.  I’m very excited about it.  It’s still moving forward.

Is that something you’re hoping to do next year?

KURTZMAN:  I’d love to do it next year.  I’ve always believed in it.  I think it’s got an incredibly emotional story, at the heart of something very, very scary, which is pretty rare.