The Russo brothers, Joe and Anthony Russo are reportedly in early discussions to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to direct the next two Avengers films.
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According to sources from The Hollywood Reporter, the Russo brothers are in the preliminary stages of negotiations to helm the next two Avengers movies. These talks signify a return to the MCU.
Before approaching the Russos, Marvel considered several directors including Shawn Levy known for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Levy was reportedly offered the role but declined due to other commitments. Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and also in the mix but exited the project in late 2023.
The Russo brothers gained recognition in television directing episodes for popular comedies like Arrested Development and Community.
Their blockbuster filmmaking began with Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), which is their first major collaboration with Marvel Studios.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) introduced a darker, espionage-driven tone to the MCU. Captain America: Civil War (2016) expanded the universe with a complex narrative involving internal conflict among the Avengers.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), these films became phenomena culminating in Endgame becoming the second-highest-grossing film of all time with $2.79 billion globally.
After their success with Marvel the Russos focused on their production company, AGBO by producing projects like Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Directed streaming titles such as Cherry (2021) for Apple TV+ and The Gray Man (2022) for Netflix, although these projects did not achieve the critical acclaim of their Marvel films.
Avengers: Endgame is the second-highest grossing movie in history earning $2.79 billion. Avengers: Infinity War is the sixth highest grossing film with $2.05 billion.
2026 Avengers Movie is titled as The Kang Dynasty and it was originally set to explore the origin story of Kang, a major MCU supervillain.
The lead role was to be played by Jonathan Majors, but after his involvement in a domestic abuse case, Disney decided to fire him and recast the role.
The project is now being retitled and recast with a new direction. 2027 Avengers: Secret Wars film is expected to conclude the Multiverse Saga of the MCU.
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The Kang Dynasty project was set to be directed Destin Daniel Cretton but left the project in November 2023 to focus on other Marvel projects.
Michael Waldron, the creator of Loki, has been brought in to write the screenplay for The Kang Dynasty. Secret Wars currently does not have a screenwriter attached.
Recent Marvel films have had lackluster performances both critically and commercially. Bringing back the Russo Brothers, who have a proven track record could restore Marvel’s dominance in the superhero genre.
The Russo Brothers have garnered a massive fan following due to their work on previous Marvel films. There is no clear timeline for when production will begin on the new Avengers films.
The Russo Brothers’ next film is The Electric State, a sci-fi adventure starring Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown. which completed shooting in late 2022.
They have also worked on Netflix’s The Gray Man and Apple TV+’s crime drama Cherry post-Endgame.
Michael Waldron known for his work on “Loki” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” has taken over scriptwriting duties for the fifth and sixth Avengers films.
The sixth Avengers movie, Secret Wars has been a project for the Russos, who have expressed interest in adapting this storyline.
Based on the 1980s comic series and its 2015 revival, “Secret Wars” involves the Beyonder, a powerful entity who pits Marvel heroes and villains against each other on Battleworld.
The 2015 series by Jonathan Hickman also explores the destruction of multiverses, a concept already teased in MCU entries.
Avengers 5 is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following on May 7, 2027.
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