Posted in: Marvel Studios, Movies | Tagged: anthony and joe russo, avengers: doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday directors Anthony and Joe Russo explained how the story “evolved through conversations” with Robert Downey Jr.
Article Summary
- Anthony and Joe Russo return to direct Avengers: Doomsday, reuniting with Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.
- The film’s story evolved naturally through conversations between the Russo Brothers and Downey Jr.
- The directors aim to create a story on par with Infinity War and Endgame, promising an explosive return to Marvel.
- Avengers: Doomsday begins production this spring, with a release date set for May 1, 2026.
When Marvel took to the stage in July, everyone was prepared for some new footage for Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* and maybe seeing the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps together for the first time. Not long before Comic-Con, reports came down that Marvel was looking back instead of forward for the upcoming Avengers films. It sounded like Anthony and Joe Russo were in talks to return, but nothing was set in stone. Well, it became very set in stone on stage, and we also got the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. was also returning to play Doctor Doom in the fifth Avengers film, now titled Avengers: Doomsday. This decision has gotten mixed reactions from people so far, and it’s way too early to tell if it will work, but we’re starting to learn more about how it came to be. The Russo Brothers spoke to Total Film recently for their upcoming film The Electric State but was asked about the upcoming Avengers project, and it was revealed that it all came together very organically between the two of them and Downey Jr.
“We’re all very close,” says Joe. “We had been working on another project before Marvel approached all of us – so we’re working on another project with Robert – and there was a story that evolved through conversations that we got very excited about. Because it’s always got to be the story.”
There’s going out on a high note, and then there’s what the Russo’s managed to accomplish with their run at Marvel. To think that people were nervous when these two were hired for Captain America: The Winter Soldier because they had almost no television experience to ending the first massive story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and pretty much sticking the landing. So not only would the Russo’s be coming back after finishing on that note, but they were also bringing back Downey Jr. after his end in Endgame as well, even if he’ll be playing a different character.
Joe Russo explained, “Why would we come back if we didn’t feel like we had a story that had that possibility of being on an equal footing with Infinity War and Endgame unless there’s a kernel there for an idea that’s really explosive?” Well, explosive is certainly one way to put it, even if this is about as close to Marvel playing it safe as you can possibly get. That being said, the Avengers movies have always been way too big for one person, so they should have been considering duos from the get-go, but that’s neither here nor there. Avengers: Doomsday is set to start production this spring and will be released in theaters on May 1, 2026.
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