The Russo brothers, the directing duo behind the $4 billion epics “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” may be returning to save Marvel.
On Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety reported, citing unnamed sources, that Joe and Anthony Russo were in talks to direct the next two “Avengers” movies.
After Destin Daniel Cretton dropped out of directing “Avengers 5” in November 2023, Marvel has struggled to choose a new director to lead their most profitable movie series.
If the Russo Brothers decide to return, it could be a major win for Marvel Studios. In recent years, the studio has struggled to retain its global audience as fans seem to be turning away from superhero movies.
Fans have increasingly criticized the Marvel franchise, from the quality of the CGI to complaining of superhero fatigue due to the speed at which movies and movies and Disney+ shows are churned out.
The waning interest showed in the company’s last release, 2023’s “The Marvels,” losing $237 million at the box office, according to Deadline‘s estimates. Warner Bros’ superhero movies have also struggled to perform well in theaters.
In addition, Jonathan Majors, who was set to play the next Thanos-level villain called Kang in upcoming movies, was convicted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend in 2023, meaning Marvel had to rethink their plan for the franchise.
Marvel Studios has tried to course-correct by slowing down its release schedule and appears to be changing its future movies to remove Kang as the major villain.
“Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” originally set to premiere in 2026, has now been renamed to “Avengers 5,” while the follow-up 2027 movie is still called “Avengers Secret Wars.”
The Russo Brothers could be the ones to put once fan-favorite franchise back on top. Their first Marvel movie, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” is widely regarded as one of the best superhero movies of the franchise.
They also helmed Marvel’s last two-part “Avengers” movies, the current second and sixth-highest-grossing movies of all time.
The Russo Brothers and Marvel Studios team-up could be exactly what the superhero industry needs to bounce back.
A representative for Marvel Studios and the Russo Brothers did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider.
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