Joe and Anthony Russo are in talks to become Avengers directors once more, returning to helm the next two (!!) Avengers movies. This would mark a homecoming for the filmmakers, who previously helmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe entires Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
The Russo Brothers’ return to the Avengers franchise comes at a high-stakes time for the MCU. Originally, the fifth Avengers movie was to be subtitled The Kang Dynasty. Those plans were upended when Marvel’s Kang, Jonathan Majors, was arrested for and eventually found guilty of assault charges. Director Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) left the project shortly before Majors’ conviction, and Marvel reportedly then went to Deadpool & Wolverine helmer Shawn Levy, who turned it down.
The Russos, meanwhile, had previously expressed interest in returning to the MCU, specifically for a chance to adapt the classic Secret Wars storyline. Not so incidentally, Avengers: Secret Wars is the planned title for the sixth movie, which theoretically would be set up by the retooled Avengers 5 much like Infinity War laid the groundwork for Endgame.
That storytelling arc and the fact that the next two Avengers movies are rumored to feature over 60 MCU characters likely give Marvel confidence in returning the Russo Brothers to the fold. They’ve proven more than capable of handling such massive projects, with their four MCU movies to date combining for a staggering $6.681 billion box office gross, and Avengers: Endgame currently sitting at No. 2 on the all-time global box office list with $2.79 billion.
Since capping their acclaimed (first) MCU run with Endgame, Joe and Anthony Russo have only directed a handful of films: 2021’s Cherry reunited them with Tom Holland, and 2022’s The Gray Man with Chris Evans and their MCU screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Their movie The Electric State is set to debut on Netflix later this year. They’ve also focused energy on producing for TV, including Prime Video’s Citadel and MGM+’s FROM.
Reports indicate that talks between the Russo Brothers and Marvel are only in the early stages, but the upside to the Russo’s returning to direct Avengers 5 and 6 is too great to imagine the deal not getting done. As for a screenwriter, Jeff Loveness (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) was attached early on, with his replacement Michael Waldron (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) rumored to have also recently exited the project.
Marvel will surely be motived to find the writer(s) to work with the Russo Brothers quickly, as Avengers 5 is targeting a May 1st, 2026 release, with Avengers: Secret Wars slated for May 7th, 2027. The cast will likely include Infinity Saga stars like Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Hiddleston alongside Multiverse Saga actors such as Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, and the upcoming Fantastic Four cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Robert Downey Jr. also recently expressed interest in returning as Iron Man.