Russo Bros in Talks to Return to the MCU for Avengers 5 and Secret Wars

After numerous rumors and speculation surrounding who would be the next director for the upcoming Avengers movie, Marvel Studios has unexpectedly entered talks to bring the Russo Bros. back. It isn’t just for the upcoming untitled Avengers 5, either; the Russos are also potentially directing Secret Wars.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios is entering talks to re-team with Joe and Anthony Russo for Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars. The news comes after months of speculation as to which director would be taking up either or both films. Shawn Levy was the latest candidate to have reportedly been considered to direct the next Avengers movie, which was originally titled The Kang Dynasty before the departure of actor Jonathan Majors from the franchise following controversies surrounding the actor. Director Destin Daniel Cretton had originally been attached to the project before departing in November of 2023, and the project hasn’t had an official director since then.

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News of the Russo Bros.’ return to the MCU is shocking but not entirely surprising. The duo had already once stated that if Marvel Studios adapted the acclaimed Jonathan Hickman comic event Secret Wars, they would return. The titles of both Avengers 4 and 5 were revealed during San Diego Comic-Con 2022, with tentative release dates that were inevitably changed due to Marvel’s struggle with finding a creative team to helm the project. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were both massive critical and financial successes for Marvel, so it’s no surprise that the duo would be welcomed back with open arms, especially with recent critical struggles and box office returns that were less than stellar.

THR was sure to accentuate that the talks are in the early stages. However, should the deal come to fruition, it will see the Russo Bros. tackling two more massive Avengers films for Marvel Studios. After working on their own projects, such as Cherry, The Gray Man, and the upcoming Electric State, the Russos will no doubt have a large task ahead of them in ending yet another era of the MCU.