Basically, they have already done the impossible: After two successful Captain America films, Anthony and Joe Russo dedicated themselves to two of the biggest blockbuster projects of our time: Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. It would have been completely deserved to retire from Marvel forever.
However, since San Diego Comic-Con last year we know: The Russos are back! And not for just any films, but for the two most important Marvel films of the next few years: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. What motivated her to return? In a new interview they tell the story.
Anthony and Joe Russo reveal why they’re returning to the director’s chair for Avengers 5 and 6
The British film magazine Empire sat down for an interview with the directing duo and screenwriter Stephen McFeely to understand how the big Marvel return came about behind the scenes.
Anthony Russo explains:
[Avengers: Endgame] was [für uns] the ending, and it took a while before we started to think of it as something other than an ending.
The Russos have been in constant contact with Marvel:
We stand Kevin [Feige, Präsident von Marvel Studios] and Lou [D’Esposito, Co-Präsident von Marvel Studios] and the entire Marvel team are very close, and we’ve talked on and off over the years. We talked about a lot of ideas.
And then one day they had the crucial idea:
What really happened was that we stumbled upon an idea that activated us all. We didn’t see it coming until it came, and when it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we have to tell.’
Joe Russo shares his perspective as follows:
There were ideas we had before this [Version von Avengers 5 und 6] developed, but we just couldn’t find the right story.
It took a while:
I remember I Steve [McFeely] called and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars? You said, ‘No way. Absolutely no way.’ And then you hung up. And the next morning at 7:30 a.m. you called and said: ‘Good, I have an idea.’
The Russos didn’t want to tell Empire what a brilliant idea it was. No wonder, it prevails in Marvel projects highest level of secrecy in Hollywood. Sometimes the stars don’t even get complete scripts to read in order to avoid potential leaks (looking at you, Tom Holland).
For further reading:
When do Avengers 5 and 6 start in cinemas?
There are two dates you should mark on your calendar now: April 29, 2026 and May 5, 2027. Then Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will be in cinemas in Germany. We don’t yet know what the superhero team will be like this time. The return of Robert Downey Jr. has already been confirmed – although not as Iron Man, but as the villain Doctor Doom.