Has the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) regained its mojo? On the eve of Deadpool & Wolverine's release (it's due out July 25th), word has it that Joe and Anthony Russo aka the Russo brothers are in talks to helm the next two Avengers movies, Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars (source: The Hollywood Reporter).
For fans, this is major news. The Russos steered the apocalyptic events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) to monumental box office success and rounded off the two-part Infinity Saga in the most satisfying manner possible.
Expectations are they'll bring their facility with character development and large-scale action to the next two Avengers epics. Both films fall within Marvel Phase Six and although the Russos have yet to sign on the dotted line, their track record with MCU overlord Kevin Feige is likely to see them through.
One might have assumed that the Russos were done with Marvel following the mega-budget emotional catharsis that was Avengers: Endgame. Since that film rolled to a close with the funeral of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), the Russos have helmed their own stand-alone action movies (The Gray Man) and taken responsibility for producing acclaimed Oscar winners (2022's Everything Everywhere All At Once).
In a 2022 interview with Variety, Joe Russo said: "We’re always talking; we’d need to see what would work. We won’t be ready to do anything with Marvel until the end of the decade.”
Responsibility for Avengers 5 (initially called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before Kang actor Jonathan Majors parted ways with Marvel) initially went to director Destin Daniel Cretton. He helmed the 2021 Marvel hit Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings, but later left the Avengers project.
Word on the street suggested that Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was in the frame to direct Avengers 5. However, the Russos are likely to be the sentimental and practical favourites given their earlier success stories. Avengers: Endgame grossed $2.8 billion at the box office and was briefly the most successful film of all time before Avatar: The Way of Water toppled it in 2022.
Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron has been tapped for the script. Avengers 5 will be with us on May 1st, 2026, whilst Avengers: Secret Wars will arrive on May 7th, 2027.
If that seems too far away, console yourselves with the knowledge that Deadpool & Wolverine is right around the corner. Click the link below to book your tickets.
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