Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors behind some of Marvel’s most iconic films, including Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War, initially turned down the opportunity to reunite with Marvel Studios for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
In a recent interview with Omelete, Joe Russo revealed that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige first pitched the idea of reintroducing Robert Downey Jr. into the MCU, this time as Doctor Doom. Downey, who had spent over a decade as Tony Stark/Iron Man, later approached the Russo brothers to convince them to return to direct the next two Avengers films.
Despite their previous successes with the MCU, the brothers were hesitant, citing the lack of a compelling story. “We just didn’t have a story. We didn’t have a way in,” Joe Russo admitted. The turning point came when longtime collaborator and screenwriter Stephen McFeely pitched an idea for the films. Russo added, “We went, ‘That’s the story!’ That story has to be told; it’s a really powerful story!”
It was McFeely’s idea that finally persuaded the Russo brothers to dive back into the MCU, marking their return to direct two of the most highly anticipated films in Marvel’s future slate.
The Russo brothers, renowned for their direction of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, will once again team up with Downey for what promises to be another epic chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.