‘Avengers’: Russo Brothers in Talks to Direct Next Two Films!!

The portals are opening for some familiar faces to helm the next phase of the MCU‘s Avengers films. Joe Russo and Anthony Russo are currently in talks with Marvel Studios to direct the next two films in the Avengers saga, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This marks an unexpected homecoming for the filmmakers, who previously directed four MCU films, including the prior two Avengers installments; now they appear primed to take over the controls of the upcoming films.

While nothing appears set in stone, the Russo brothers would direct the fifth film in the Avengers saga, which currently has no title, and the sixth film, Avengers: Secret Wars. While plotlines remain mostly thin for the next two films, Secret Wars is a 1980s comic storyline that focuses on an ultra-powerful cosmic villain known as the Beyonder. The storyline also pulled in more well-known comic characters from Marvel’s cast, including iconic villains like Doctor Doom. It is unknown if Secret Wars will closely follow the plotlines of the comic.

The tapping of the Russo brothers marks the end of a contentious, up-and-down journey to find directors for the next two Avengers films. The fifth film, previously titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, was originally slated to be directed Destin Daniel Cretton. However, Cretton departed the project last year in the midst of a scandal that saw the film’s would-be star villain, Jonathan Majors, shunned from the MCU following an assault and harassment conviction. As far as the sixth film, numerous names have floated around; everyone from Sam Raimi to Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy pine for the job.

It is unsurprising that Marvel and Disney would look to the Russo brothers to come back; few directing partners have had more success. The duo began their foray into Marvel by directing Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014. They followed this up by staying with Cap for their next Marvel film, Captain America: Civil War, which notably featured the introduction of Tom Holland as Spider-Man alongside an ensemble cast of Avengers heroes.

The Russos truly made their mark on the MCU, though, by helming the prior two Avengers films: 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. The two films served to conclude the villain arc of Thanos (Josh Brolin), who eliminated half of all life in the universe in Infinity War by obtaining the six Infinity Stones, only for this to be undone in Endgame with Thanos’ defeat. Endgame was heavily anticipated as the high point of the MCU‘s Phase Three, and shattered numerous box office records; it was the highest-grossing film of all time for nearly two years and remains the highest-grossing superhero film.