In a massive Marvel surprise, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo, best known as the Russo brothers, are reportedly in talks to return to the MCU to direct the next two Avengers films.
The news comes via a THR report today, which cautions that talks are still in the early stages. IGN has reached out to Disney for comment.
It had previously been reported that Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was Marvel's top choice for the Avengers 5 job, although he had turned it down in the past. THR notes that "multiple names" were in contention for Avengers 5 and 6, including Levy.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton was originally set to take the helm of Avengers 5, although he stepped away in November 2023. The next Avengers film saw another shake up that same month, with Loki writer Michael Waldron taking script duties from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania scribe Jeff Loveness.
Waldron is also writing the sixth Avengers movie, Avengers: Secret Wars.
It's the latest in what's been something of a wild ride to Avengers 5, which was once called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The approach to that film, however, has changed in the wake of Kang actor Jonathan Majors' conviction in his domestic violence trial and his subsequent firing from the MCU. Marvel has not yet announced a new name for the film, although it's likely it will announce more official details of its plans during its big San Diego Comic-Con panel next Saturday.
Meanwhile, the news of the Russo brothers' potential return to the MCU is a sign of Marvel's approach to its future, and likely a desire to return to its Infinity Saga glory days. The Russos were mainstays of the MCU in the 2010s, not only directing their two Avengers films, but also Captain America: The Winter Solider and Captain America: Civil War. All of those films were massive hits for Disney/Marvel, with Endgame holding the distinction of being the second-highest-grossing film of all time with $2.7 billion.
Joe and Anthony Russo themselves, however, have taken various non-franchise jobs since their MCU days seemingly ended. They've directed the Netflix action film The Gray Man and executive produced projects ranging from Prime Video series Citadel to Oscar Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once. They came up in Hollywood through their work in the writers' room on comedies like Arrested Development and Community.
Avengers 5 is currently set to release on May 1, 2026, while Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled to debut a year later on May 7, 2027.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
