Russo Brothers Discuss Upcoming Marvel Epics: Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars

Joe and Anthony Russo, the acclaimed directors behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, are returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. These much-anticipated films are slated for release in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Speaking at the world premiere of their Netflix film The Electric State, held at Los Angeles’ historic Egyptian Theatre Hollywood, Joe Russo shed light on the production schedule and challenges of these new projects.

“It’s all in London, we’re shooting them fairly back-to-back, it’s a lot of work again, we may or may not survive, we’ll see,” he told Deadline.

A Bold and Challenging Approach

Joe Russo further elaborated on their vision, saying, “But we’re very excited about it. We found a way into the story that we think is gonna be challenging for audiences, it’s challenging for us to execute. And it’s really exciting for us, it gets us out of bed to do it.”

The duo’s return to Marvel stems from an intriguing concept for adapting the Secret Wars storyline. The narrative, originating from Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 comic series, involves multiple universes colliding, leading to an epic battle among Marvel characters.

Will the X-Men or Deadpool Appear?

When questioned about the possibility of the films integrating elements from the X-Men universe or featuring Deadpool, Joe Russo remained cryptic. “Who knows? I don’t know. I don’t know who we’re gonna see. I still don’t know.”

His brother Anthony Russo humorously added, “If you close your eyes and use your imagination, you can see anyone you want. Whoever tickles your fancy.”

Chris Pratt, known for portraying Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, was also asked about a potential cameo. He responded teasingly, stating he knows that fans would love to see his return.

Robert Downey Jr. Returns – But Not as Iron Man

A major revelation from last year’s San Diego Comic-Con was Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU. However, this time, he will not reprise his role as Tony Stark but will instead portray the villainous Victor Von Doom, also known as Doctor Doom.

This casting decision has sparked immense interest, as it signifies a dramatic shift from Downey’s previous hero persona. Marvel’s strategy appears to involve reintroducing familiar actors in new roles to bring fresh perspectives to the MCU.

Writing and Production Plans

The upcoming films will see the Russo brothers reunite with screenwriter Stephen McFeely, who, along with Christopher Markus, co-wrote their previous Marvel blockbusters.

According to the Russos, the idea for these films came unexpectedly but immediately felt like a story they needed to tell. “Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon an idea that activated all of us,” Anthony Russo revealed.

“You couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came, it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”

Joe Russo also noted that while the films will be shot on a tight schedule, there will be longer breaks between principal photography for Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Production Begins Soon

With production set to begin this summer, anticipation continues to build around these films.

Speculation is also growing regarding Chris Evans potentially making a return to the MCU in a new role, especially following his cameo as Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Marvel fans eagerly await further details as Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars move closer to their release dates.