Sony Pictures didn't have to look far to find a director for "The Sinister Six," one of two announced spinoffs from its "Amazing Spider-Man" franchise.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film's writer Drew Goddard is nearing a deal to helm the project, which will focus on the wall-crawler's villains. The news doesn't come as a big surprise, as he was mentioned as a possible director in December, when Sony announced its plans to expand the lucrative franchise with "Venom" and "Sinister Six" films.

Goddard, whose writing credits include "Lost," "Cloverfield" and the upcoming "Daredevil" Netflix pilot, made his directorial debut in 2012 with "The Cabin in the Woods," which he penned with Joss Whedon. He's also part of Sony's new Spider-Man "franchise brain trust," alongside screenwriters Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner and Ed Solomon, director Marc Webb and producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.

While classic villains Electro, the Rhino and Green Goblin play roles in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," opening May 2, Sony Pictures Co-Chairman Amy Pascal recently teased that the end of the film will "set up some of the other characters that will probably end up being in the Sinister Six."

There are plenty of possibilities, of course, as there have been several incarnations of the villainous group over the past 50 years. However, the original version, introduced in January 1964's "The Amazing Spider-Man Annual" #1, was composed of Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio and Sandman.