After Peter Parker stresses himself to keep New York safe in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fate of seemingly every other upcoming Marvel movie (and a large majority of major characters) will be affected by Anthony and Joe Russo’s Avengers: Doomsday, only for the status quo to get shaken up once again when Avengers: Secret Wars drops in 2027. It’s impossible to think about where the MCU will be at that point, but is it possible the Russos will still be involved?

According to a new rumor, the blockbuster-directing siblings could very well hitch their talents to yet another big-budget Marvel project, with the caveat that this hypothetical third movie may just be an extension of what we already know about. Per CosmicCircus and scooper Alex Perez when asked about any recent Secret Wars details:

Wowza boom-bowza! Even though we're obviously going to take those comments with the necessary grain of salt that comes embedded with all unverified reports, it would indeed be huge and then some for Marvel to confirm that the Russo brothers have agreed to remain at the helm for yet another Avengers-centric feature. Even if they haven't been involved with the MCU since Endgame, their value has been proven a million times over, and the buzz building up ahead of Doomsday is only helping.

It's still way too early to even know which characters will survive long enough to still be called Avengers after Secret Wars, much less to guess what villains or comic storylines might be utilized. But that's only if the alleged third movie actually stands apart from its predecessor.

As the rumor notes, it's possible any noise about the Russos' third Avengers movie could actually play into the idea that Secret Wars will be split into two different features. That claim isn't all that unbelievable, considering Avengers: Endgame was initially Infinity War: Part 2 before the decision was made to go with a different moniker. Of course, that just makes me think that Kevin Feige would once again choose a fresh title rather than settling for an ordinal subtitle.

I really want to put on my theory cap and start making wild guesses, but it's just too early for all that. I'm also not sure who Spider-Man's big bad will be in Brand New Day, but it's definitely easier to make guesses about that one with its release just around the corner.

Avengers: Doomsday will bring Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom across the multiverse on December 17, 2026.

Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the role of Victor von Doom a.k.a. Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Of course, the last time Downey appeared in an MCU flick, he was playing Iron Man, and the beloved hero sacrificed himself at the end of Avengers: Endgame. It’s a watershed moment in the continuity, but it turns out Stark's demise actually could’ve happened in a different movie. So, now, I have some questions following this major revelation.

Tony Stark’s Original Death Was To Happen In Another Massive MCU Film

Let’s be real, Downey’s Stark found himself in more than a few precarious situations throughout the Multiverse Saga, from his encounter with Obadiah Stane to the Avengers’ war with Ultron. However, the battle between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Thanos was particularly intense, and fans more than got a taste of that back in 2018 when Infinity War hit theaters. And, believe it or not, that’s the film co-director Joe Russo said was initially meant to feature Stark’s death, and he and Downey had a funny-back-and-forth about it:

• Joe Russo: This happens a lot in these rooms, right? We try to... I'm feeling the heat now. We try to investigate. We try to investigate all angles, right? Everything's up for grabs. We always say, ‘Best idea wins.’ And a lot of the times you gotta stretch…
• Robert Downey Jr.: It's mine.
• Russo: We have to stretch…
• Downey: Mine is just, ‘Don't kill me.’

Consider me pleasantly surprised by all this! The revelation, which was revealed during a sit-down interview held by CBR, coincided with the eighth anniversary of Infinity War’s release. It’s interesting to hear that Joe Russo and brother/co-director Anthony considered having Stark die in that particular movie, though I guess it tracks, considering there’s a scene in which Thanos stabs Tony through his armor only for him to survive. As for why the Russos eventually decided against it, Joe said:

It sounds like it all came down to the Russos possibly being faced with the challenge of having to include Stark in Endgame posthumously. All in all, I’m glad they settled on their chosen direction, especially since it would’ve robbed us of Stark’s eventual sacrifice, but I still have some questions.

What Are Some Questions To Consider About This “What If” Scenario?

For starters, when exactly was Stark’s death going to take place in Infinity War? I mean, would it have been the moment he was stabbed by Thanos on Titan? Of course, there’s also the possibility that he could’ve died in a totally different way that might not have involved Thanos at all. I find it very interesting that Joe Russo doesn’t divulge any specifics, but that may be due to his desire to have fans speculate as I’m doing right now.

Something I also want to know is whether Robert Downey Jr. was aware of his character’s initial fate during the development process. And, if he knew, I’d love to know how he felt. It’s unclear based on this conversation, but I get the feeling Downey wouldn’t have been too pleased, considering the comments he’s sharing now.

Regardless of any of that, though, I’d say everything worked out just as it should’ve. And, in any case, Downey still has the opportunity to further spread his wings by way of his villainous character. I wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall and watched Downey work on set. Here’s hoping that Doom’s introduction is glorious and that Tony Stark’s memory is preserved within the MCU amid his cohort’s latest battle.

Fans can check out Stark’s sacrifice by streaming Avengers: Endgame with a Disney+ subscription. Also, see Robert Downey Jr. return in Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18 amid the 2026 movie schedule.

Tom Holland has been open about how much Robert Downey Jr. meant to his early Marvel run, and the whole thing still has a very sweet mentor-student glow. Holland entered the MCU as Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War, and Downey’s Tony Stark was there both in the movie and behind the scenes, helping him find his footing.

In an Instagram video posted by Marvel, Joe and Anthony Russo talked about filming Holland’s MCU introduction and explained that Downey’s guidance shaped the scene in real time. Joe Russo said:

According to The Russos, one of the greatest things a filmmaker can do for an actor is put them in a scene with Robert Downey Jr.. And hey, it seems to have paid off for Holland, who is now a global superstar looking to headline two major summer tentpole films on the 2026 movie calendar.

Tom Holland Wants To Pay That Forward

That lines up beautifully with Holland’s own recent comments about the future of Spider-Man. In a statement, Holland said that whenever Marvel brings in the next web-slinger, whether that is Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman or someone else, he would love to be part of setting up that next chapter.

His reasoning was simple and very full-circle. In recent viral comments, Holland said that if he could do for another actor what Downey did for him, he would be “so content swinging off into the sunset.”

That is the kind of comment that is both adorable and slightly alarming for fans. On the one hand, it is lovely to hear Holland thinking about mentorship rather than just franchise ownership. On the other hand, whenever an actor in new superhero movies starts talking about sunsets, Marvel fans start bracing for some emotional damage.

But it makes sense. Holland’s first MCU scenes worked partly because Peter Parker felt overwhelmed in the best possible way. He was a kid from Queens, suddenly standing across from Tony Stark/Iron Man, and the nervous energy did not feel fake. Downey could play confidence in his sleep, but he also knew how to make room for Holland’s jittery charm. Their dynamic became the backbone of the MCU’s Spider-Man story, from Homecoming through the heartbreak of Avengers: Endgame.

The Russos Saw The Same Thing

The Russo Brothers’ comments help explain why that introduction landed so well. Putting a new actor opposite Downey was not just a casting flex. It was a way of giving Holland a scene partner who could set the pace, keep the scene alive and help define the character’s place in the larger MCU.

That matters because Spider-Man was entering a universe that was already crowded with stars, lore and audience expectations. Holland had to feel new without feeling disconnected, and Downey’s presence gave him an immediate anchor. Tony Stark was the MCU’s biggest personality at the time, so if he took Peter seriously, audiences were invited to do the same.

It also helped that the relationship echoed the characters. Tony became a mentor to Peter on screen, while Downey seems to have done something similar for Holland off-screen. Sometimes the movie machine gets lucky, and the behind-the-scenes chemistry hums at the same frequency as the story.

Spider-Man’s Future Is Starting To Look Generational

That is why Holland’s comments about a future Spider-Man hit harder than a normal franchise tease. The MCU has been around long enough that its young heroes are becoming veterans, and older heroes, like Ant-Man, are the old guard and mentors. Holland was once the new kid being welcomed into the clubhouse. Now, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day on the way, he is talking about helping whoever comes next.

That could mean Miles Morales. It could mean Spider-Gwen. It could mean another Spider-person entirely. Marvel has not laid out those plans yet, but the animated Spider-Verse movies and the television hit Spider-Noir have already proved there is a huge appetite for more than one web-slinger.

For now, Holland is still Peter Parker, and fans are waiting to see what Brand New Day does with him after the lonely ending of No Way Home. But between Holland’s comments and the Russos’ praise for Downey, one thing feels clear: RDJ’s influence on the MCU did not end with Tony Stark’s sacrifice.

And hey, we will get to see RDJ back in the MCU, albeit in a very different kind of mask, when he appears as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday on Dec. 18. Holland’s Spidey has not been confirmed for the movie, but with the Russo brothers back behind the camera, one can only hope for that kind of full-circle reunion.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the release of Captain America: Civil War as, for me, it feels like just yesterday that the superhero crossover film hit cinemas. Even today, Joe and Anthony Russo’s 2016 flick ranks as one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. There are so many reasons to “marvel” at the film, from its adept juggling of the various characters to its spectacular action sequences. One particular wild piece of lore pertaining to the Russos’ film, though, is its contribution to a real “civil war” at Marvel.

Amid the 10th anniversary of Civil War, the Russo brothers participated in a screening and Q&A session moderated by CBR. During the wide-ranging conversation, the brothers were asked about some of the creative compromises that needed to be made while they were developing the movie. Joe Russo explained that the movie’s development represented a case study in how to be “uncompromising.” From there, the Gray Man co-director, recalled the discussions that were had behind the scenes:

“Marvel New York” is in reference to the company’s creative committee, and that governing body provided notes on the MCU films for years. Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter oversaw the group and, at times, there were clashes between the group and studio president Kevin Feige and co. The discussions regarding Civil War ultimately led to that tension coming to a head. Despite that, Russo explained that he, his brother and the folks at the studio were holding steady to their opinion on how the movie should end:

Captain America: Civil War ends with the Avengers divided as a result of the machinations set in motion by Helmut Zemo, who’s incarcerated by the conclusion of the film. As a fan, I’m personally glad that the Russos and their collaborators stuck to their guns. Because they did so, the film also laid the groundwork for the two MCU event films that would follow it – Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Of course, aside from the third act, a certain spider-themed hero also figured into the creative conflicts, as Anthony Russo recalled:

Of course, as history tells us, the Marvel/Sony deal for Spider-Man worked out and, at present, a fourth Spidey film starring Tom Holland is set to hit the 2026 movie schedule. Introducing Peter Parker into the MCU could’ve gone sideways, but it definitely seemed to pay off. Additionally, the Russos deserve credit for taking a number of swings in the film, from getting Robert Downey Jr. to give a more antagonistic performance as Tony Stark to having the main villain be a non-powered man with a vendetta.

As for the corporate side of all this, Marvel Studios was eventually inserted into Walt Disney Studios proper, with Kevin Feige eventually reporting to then-chairman Alan Horn instead of Perlmutter. That move provided Feige and his team with more creative autonomy and set the stage for the projects that would come in the following years.

It’s easy to see why Civil War has had such a serious influence on the MCU, and I’m glad it exists in its current form. Yes, it may have sparked something of a war within Marvel, but I’d say the film’s $1.1 billion worldwide haul and the critical acclaim eventually proved that it was smart for the company to go with the Russos’ instincts.

Captain America: Civil War is now available to stream using a Disney+ subscription. Anyone looking forward to upcoming Marvel movies should know that the Russos are helming Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18.

Over a decade after Sylvester Stallone fan-cast Ryan Gosling as a young version of his iconic action hero John Rambo, a more youthful version of the character is heading to the big screen. Reports on the prequel project first made waves in August, but now all parties have officially signed off on John Rambo with some huge names behind the scenes, and a director that I couldn't be more confident in.

Let's break down some of the biggest confirmations involved with what could potentially kick off a new era of Rambo action.

John Rambo Will Be Played By Noah Centineo

While actors can often drop out of high-profile projects between the first rumors and the official reveal, John Rambo is indeed sticking with Netflix star Noah Centineo to portray the hardcore soldier. He's reportedly in final negotiations.

I'd say The Recruit is the best example of the actor's work so far in relation to what he'll be doing for this new movie, which will likely drop well after the 2026 movie releases have dried up. But he was recently confirmed as part of the cast of the new Street Fighter movie as Ken, so that will bring him even more into the action-movie fold, further away from the To All The Boys franchise.

John Rambo Will Be Directed By Sisu Helmer Jalmari Helander

Anyone who hasn't yet watched the top-tier 2023 action movie Sisu should reverse that wrong as soon as you're done reading this story. It's an incredible movie that never loses sight of its genre, and the upcoming sequel is somehow even better. Check out that trailer below.

I'd make watching a Jalmari Helander-directed Charmin commercial a bigger priority than feeding myself if it existed, so the fact that he's making a Rambo movie is enough to cause me to break my neck trying to backflip in glee. And that wouldn't help anyone, so I'm just going to stay sitting here vibrating with glee instead.

The Russo Brothers' AGBO Is Now On Board

Anthony and Joe Russo are currently working on what will become some of the biggest movies of all time, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and both of those will likely be viewed as amazing action movies. So I love that they're also getting into the mix with John Rambo, even if they won't be as hands-on as they would if they were doing the directing. Maybe we'll see some MCU vets joining this prequel's cast.

AGBO will be partnering with Lionsgate, which only recently acquired the rights to the franchise, and Millennium Media for the upcoming movie.

Rory Haines And Sohrab Noshirvani Are Writing The Screenplay

The screenwriting duo of Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani previously created the acclaimed UK drama Informer, and also co-wrote the screenplays for Kevin Macdonald's 2021 legal thriller The Mauritanian, and the maligned DC blockbuster Black Adam. Their previous action thriller script Fairytale in New York was set to be directed by the aforementioned Jalmari Helander, with Ke Huy Quan starring, though it seems likely that all things Rambo will usurp those plans.

For now, there's no specific timeline for when fans can expect to see John Rambo, but production is set to begin in January 2026.

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday is currently in production, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo overseeing the shoot. Aside from the massive cast (which was revealed via chairs earlier this year) and a general synopsis, few specific details are known about the story. The Russo Brothers have mostly remained tight-lipped on what they have planned, yet they’ve now graced fans with an extremely cryptic tease. It’s a tough post to decipher, but I have a theory about what it might mean.

The Russos Drop A Mysterious Pic On Social Media Along With A Telling Caption

It’s rare that the Russos post to their shared social media accounts. However, when they do drop something related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they tend to break the Internet. Early Tuesday morning, the sibling filmmakers took to Instagram to drop a somewhat blurry photo, which seems to showcase markings of some sort. Anyone questioning whether this actually has anything to do with their upcoming Marvel movie should also make note of the Doomsday is Coming hashtag. Check it out:

Anyone scratching their head after looking at that post shouldn’t feel bad about that. Based on the comment section, plenty of fans are doing their best to decipher the meaning behind this strange update. It’d be an understatement to say that this pic is far more mysterious than the first set photo the Russos shared, which revealed Victor Von Doom’s set chair (which belongs to returning MCU veteran Robert Downey Jr.).

Of course, this latest post is ultimately doing exactly what the Russos and Marvel Studios as a whole probably want, which is for fans to be talking and speculating about its meaning. In that regard, I’m like a moth to a flame, as my gears quickly started turning after I saw the photo for the first time. With that, I’m currently of the belief that this picture has ties to one specific MCU character — one who isn’t the villainous Doctor Doom.

What Might This Doomsday Tease Mean?

Avengers: Doomsday is primed to be one half of the culmination of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. With that, multiversal affairs are sure to play heavily into the upcoming superhero epic. Fans who’ve been following the continuity up to this point surely know that there are several characters who’ve been studying the multiverse, with one of them being Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.

On that note, I think the image the Russos shared on social media is a blurred and cropped photo of Reed’s chalkboard from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In that film, Reed uses the board to break down complex topics, and a shot from an early FF trailer even teased his examination of the multiverse using the board. So the Russos could possibly be alluding to Richards’ observations, which may or may not be crucial to protecting various realities from the threat of Doctor Doom.

This is, of course, all just a theory on my part, and Joe and Anthony Russo’s tease could pertain to something else entirely. Still, until I’m convinced otherwise, I’m sticking to the Reed Richards assertion, even if it’s a stretch (no pun intended). I’m also willing to bet that this won’t be the last little nugget that the Russos share as Doomsday filming continues and, if that’s the case, I’ll surely pore over that as well alongside fellow fans.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to open in theaters on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, stream past MCU movies and TV shows using a Disney+ subscription.

The 2025 movie schedule is rolling right along, and with it we’ve seen the ever-increasing number of Marvel movies in order continue to do the same. While The Fantastic Four: First Steps was pretty successful at rounding out this year’s big-screen MCU blockbusters, there are still numerous upcoming superhero movies where our favorites will return. With that, it’s hard not to think about those who portrayed past heroes and villains, like Josh Brolin. He’s now opened up about whether or not he’d like to return as Thanos or Cable, and had a very thoughtful position on the matter.

What Did Josh Brolin Say About Playing Thanos Or Cable Again?

There are several actors who have played more than one MCU role in the Marvel multiverse, and we can count Weapons star Josh Brolin among that number. The actor helped make The Mad Titan a force to be reckoned with across several films in the Infinity Saga, and also appeared as the futuristic, cybernetic revenge-seeking soldier Cable in 2018’s Deadpool 2.

We are currently a little over a year away from another major Marvel team-up movie, as the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday hits the 2026 movies that December. While there’s no reason (right now) to think that Brolin will return as either character, when speaking with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the topic of his work as both did come up. After revealing that Thanos was originally supposed to only be a cameo, he added:

Brolin didn’t go into details about why he, seemingly, holds Thanos so close to his heart that he’d be willing to drop everything, pull on those motion-capture pajamas again and play the Big Bad. However, it sounds like his love for former Iron Man Robert Downey, Jr. (who’s starring in Doomsday as Doctor Doom) and the Russo brothers has a lot to do with it. He continued:

The Oscar nominee explained that he and Joe Russo are embarking on a business endeavor together, but noted his fondness for the siblings, saying, “I love both of them. I think they’re amazing.” So, when he was asked about possibly being able to bring Thanos back (which has been rumored) in some way, Brolin confirmed that he has complete faith in the Russos’ ability to make such a shocking turn of events work within the story they’re now building. Brolin said:

Though it would be severely premature to get excited about the idea of Brolin’s Thanos returning to the MCU, at least we know that he’s down for the opportunity if it arises.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing on the 2025 movies schedule, arriving six years after Marvel Studios gained the film rights to the superhero team as a result of the Disney/Fox merger. WandaVision’s Matt Shakman was selected to direct the fifth movie starring Marvel’s First Family (counting the unreleased 1994 feature), but he wasn’t the only MCU filmmaker involved with the production. Shakman recently revealed how Joe and Anthony Russo took an interest in Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing and Human Torch’s latest cinematic foray.

The Russo Brothers have been part of the MCU family ever since they delivered Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014, and they followed that up with Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Then at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that they’d return to helm the upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. But as far as The Fantastic Four: First Steps was concerned, here’s what Shakman had to say to Deadline about The Russo Brothers being around during filming:

The Fantastic Four: First Steps began filming on July 30, 2024. This came a week after it was not only announced at SDCC that the Russo Brothers were stepping back into the MCU, but that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning as well to play the team’s arch-nemesis, Doctor Doom. With Doom taking over as the lead antagonist of Doomsday and Secret Wars from Jonathan Majors’ Kang The Conqueror, and then the later confirmation that the Fantastic Four themselves will be in both movies too, it’s no wonder Joe and Anthony Russo had a vested interest in First Steps.

Like Matt Shakman said, they needed to get a handle on Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn’s characters before inheriting them for the next Avengers movies. I won’t share any spoilers for First Steps here since the movie just opened, but its events pave the way for Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm to team up with the Avengers, New Avengers and the X-Men, among others. This was teased back in May in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene with the arrival of a ship adorned with the Fantastic Four logo.

We’ll see how the Fantastic Four do under the Russo Brothers’ supervision when Avengers: Doomsday comes out on December 18, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027. Before those, however, the next MCU movie up is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, slated for July 31, 2026.

Two of the biggest titles on the list of upcoming Marvel movies are the highly discussed Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which will arrive in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Directing those two flicks are Joe and Anthony Russo, who are making their return to the superhero franchise after being away for a few years. The pair have undertaken large tasks for this IP over the years, including pitching Captain America: Civil War to Robert Downey Jr. Well, in a big, full-circle moment, Downey had to help sell these latest films to the siblings.

Some may assume that the Russo brothers raced back to Marvel Studios in order to direct the next two features to center around Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. However, it would seem that wasn’t actually the case. Joe Russo recalled that when he and his brother were interviewed by Omelete (as seen on YouTube). The filmmaker confirmed that Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom casting pre-dated their involvement with the movies. With that, the A-lister was tasked with helping to lure the filmmakers back into the fold:

RDJ being the one to pitch paired with the Russos’ “resistant” attitudes combined to make what I’d consider a “shoe is on the other foot” scenario. Years ago, it was the Electric State helmers who pushed for the story that would serve as the basis of 2016’s Civil War (which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription). Producer Kevin Feige approved of the concept, though, he then tasked the brothers with telling Mr. Downey of their idea to pit his precious Iron Man against Captain America. Ultimately, of course, their mission was successful.

I honestly love the fact that the Tony Stark actor was put in a position where he had to persuade his longtime collaborators and friends of a concept. Not only does it represent a level of irony, but it also signifies just how the Russo brothers’ professional profile has risen. Also, don’t think that the pair initially said no just to mess with their good buddy. As Joe Russo went on to explain, they had a legitimate concern that needed to be alleviated:

The details of that story are, unsurprisingly, being kept on a need-to-know basis right now. On the whole, what’s known is that the films will see the Avengers facing the threat of Victor von Doom in what seems poised to be a major, multiversal tale of epic proportions. As for their collaboration with Robert Downey Jr. this time around, the Russos have seemingly been enjoying it. They’ve also expressed a lot of confidence in how the actor will portray Doom, even opining that “there’s nobody” else who could play the iconic villain.

Now that the concepts have been pitched and much of the talent has signed on for the film, production is reportedly set to begin soon. Like so many others, I’m eager to see what RDJ and the Russo brothers deliver. At the same time, I now want to hear about that latest pitch meeting from Robert Downey Jr.’s perspective.

Joe and Anthony Russo have tackled massive films during their careers, but the two upcoming superhero movies they’re about to helm could be their biggest undertaking yet. The sibling filmmakers are reuniting with Marvel Studios to direct the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. While many of the specifics are being kept under wraps, the duo have provided some insight into their approach to the blockbusters. As part of that, they explained the incredibly tedious way they’re keeping track of the characters at their disposal.

When they made Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the Russos were also in a position in which they had to balance a copious amount of characters. So they had to establish a method of tracking heroes and villains at that point as well. It’s been said that the directors had to rely on cards in order to account for everyone involved in the narratives. And, as they just revealed, that’ll still be their process when it comes to these news flicks:

Anthony Russo: Yes, we continue to use the baseball cards.

Joe Russo: Now they have magnets on them so we can put ‘em on a board and look at ‘em. It’s the only way to keep track of the amount of characters that we’re working with.

Considering it’s “the only way” for the Russos to manage the characters, I’d hope that this method is helpful. Still, the thought of being in a room surrounded by all of those cards just sounds daunting. I’m a Marvel Cinematic Universe fan, who’s quite familiar with the biggest players in the franchise, but the level of problem-solving involved in this creative process seems like a lot. During the brothers’ interview with THR, Anthony Russo shared more thoughts on their approach to handling characters:

The Russo Brothers and their collaborators have mostly been tight-lipped in regard to which characters are set to be featured in Doomsday and Secret Wars. Sam Wilson (Captain America), the Fantastic Four and a handful of others have been confirmed for the upcoming Marvel movies. However, there are still plenty of familiar faces (and some newcomers) that could be in the fold as well. One also has to consider that heroes from the various TV shows are now in play, too. As time-consuming as the character-picking process seems to be, I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the Russos are going through the process.

What is known about the pair of films is that they’ll draw inspiration from Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Wars storyline of the comics. If I could take an educated guess, the stories will probably bring together various heroes of the MCU and involve multiversal elements. Doctor Doom, played by the returning Robert Downey Jr., is touted as the Big Bad. Anthony and Joe Russo have discussed the process of crafting Doom and say that Downey has been very hands on.

I’m curious to see who the Russos end up plugging into the films and how. Although this may be a massive task, their prior experience with this process likely benefits them immensely. Let’s just hope they don’t end up buried under a mountain of cards. Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars open in theaters on May 1, 2026 and May 7, 2027, respectively. In the meantime, grab a Disney+ subscription to stream the Marvel movies in order.

At this point, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are pretty pros when it comes to pitching and overseeing productions set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve helmed some of the franchise’s biggest films and are returning for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Of course, a lot has to be done for those movies before the camera starts rolling, and that was true for 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. The Russos recalled having to pitch the film to Robert Downey Jr., and I’m shaking a little bit over their account of events.

Plenty of fans may remember the making of Civil War most for its much-anticipated use of Spider-Man, who made his MCU debut in what’s now one of the highest ranked Marvel movies. However, there was also the matter of convincing Robert Downey Jr. to join up, considering the story wouldn’t have worked without his Tony Stark (Iron Man). As part of a profile piece for THR, the Russos recalled sharing the idea with producer Kevin Feige, and they were somewhat thrown for a loop afterwards, as Anthony said:

Kevin Feige was too funny for this, given he just tasked two directors with pitching another MCU film to one of the biggest actors in Hollywood. But, of course, this particular flick differed from RDJ’s past appearances in the superhero-centric franchise. During his and his brother’s interview with the trade, Joe Russo went on to set the scene for the pitch meeting, and it’s hard not to get second-hand nervousness:

Joe Russo: Downey was sitting on a chaise lounge, splayed out like a king, on the roof of his office in Venice. Ant and I showed up and we’ve been rehearsing this pitch, and you’re literally pitching the biggest movie star in the world to take his giant cash cow character and convert it into a villain.

Anthony Russo: In a Captain America movie.

Of course, as we know, Robert Downey Jr. eventually agreed to star in the film alongside Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and a host of other MCU stars. Since then, it seems that Downey and the Russos have forged solid professional and personal relationships. The Oppenheimer star even said, when interviewed for THR’s story, that the sibling filmmakers are “family” to him at this point. Still, as Joe remembered, pitching the third Cap film to Downey years ago was no small task:

The brothers are reuniting with Robert Downey Jr. for their two upcoming superhero movies and, ironically, this will be an even bigger MCU leap for the actor. Downey is returning to the franchise as Doctor Doom, one of the biggest villains in the history of comic books. Rumors have swirled around Downey’s Doom, but what we know for sure is that the actor is really putting in the work while developing the character. The Russos have even said that as part of that “intense” process, the star has helped write backstory and share costume ideas.

Something that’s particularly ironic now is that RDJ actually persuaded the Russos to return for these new Avengers movies. What I’m hopeful for is that the trio’s collaborative spirit will yield awesome work that’s comparable to their past films. That’s a tall order but, considering what they’ve done together, they deserve the benefit of the doubt. In the meantime, check out the group’s first shared MCU outing, Captain America: Civil War, by streaming it with a Disney+ subscription.

First brought to life (as it were) in 2018 as a photography-filled text by acclaimed Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, The Electric State is a singular journey about a past era that never existed but still feels as real as anything in a history book. The inspiring mix of past, present and future aesthetics isn’t entirely unlike other recent alt-history media, from Fallout to The Last of Us to another Stålenhag adaptation, Tales from the Loop.

In making the leap from the page to the screen as a 1990s-set adaptation that stretches the definition of “live-action” as much as some Disney’s modern-era remakes, The Electric State unfortunately falls short of matching the source material’s uniqueness and whimsy – despite boasting myriad talents both in front of the camera and behind it. It’d be no small feat for anyone to fully capture the book’s inherent charms, but one might think that Netflix’s seemingly depthless pockets would have allowed for something less fleeting.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, filmmakers who honed their talents with brilliant TV comedies before vaulting into big-budget Marvel Studios fare, The Electric State often feels like the equivalent of prettied-up meals in fast food commercials: a feast for the eyes, but lacking most of the caloric value that keeps one’s brain on track. This would be perfectly fine if we were all robots without functioning biologies, but my human tastes desire something more substantial.

Anthony and Joe Russo are as skilled as can be at directing CGI-filled spectacles.

The Electric State is set in a Jetsons-esque reality where household bots were the norm until a worldwide Us Vs. Them war destroyed all the good vibes, leaving the remaining automatons to congregate in the “Exclusion Zone,” in which humans are not welcome. Millie Bobby Brown plays the tech-rejecting teen Michelle, whose family was seemingly killed off years earlier during the big war, and she still mourns the loss of her brainiac brother Christopher (Woody Norman).

After the robotic avatar of a beloved cartoon character crosses paths with Michelle, she discovers that it somehow appears to contain the life essence of her brother, which ties into some deep-state conspiracy plotting involving a VR-esque company run by Stanley Tucci’s Ethan Skate that allows users’ to split their brainpower between functioning in a virtual realm and powering mecha-drones in the real world. Shades of Ready Player One and District 9 shine through the semi-frequent exposition dumps.

Having acquired the rights to Stålenhag’s book back in 2017, while still in post-production on Avengers: Infinity War, the Russos weren’t even originally planning to helm the adaptation themselves, despite their Marvel collaborators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely handling the script. They officially signed on to spearhead the project in 2020 as a follow-up to their Chris Evans-starring actioner The Gray Man, with Netflix joining the fray in 2022.

All of this is to say that a lot of time was spent in preparation mode for this movie, which required a massive amount of pre-production design work for the multitudes of droids and mechanoids populating the Exclusion Zone, as well as a variety of touched-up landscapes and U.S. skylines. And it’s abundantly clear that vast amounts of meticulous efforts were made to guarantee the best-looking CGI creations and effects possible. In a soundless vacuum-bot, this certainly qualifies as one of the Russo brothers’ best looking movies to date.

For all the gorgeous visuals that honor the source material, The Electric State’s story and dialogue are entirely predictable and forgettable.

The eye-popping and personality-speckled assortment of digitally designed machinery is a wonder only made possible through modern means, but the same cannot be said for the screenplay credited to the Russos’ frequent collaborators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The Electric State’s big-picture themes of overcoming adversities and being skeptical of capitalist consumerism are timeless enough, the story beats and dialogue might as well have come from a 1993 screenplay that someone in this very movie finds near a busted printer in the EZ.

I’ve already seen plenty of iterations of the story that Brown’s Michelle is both showing with her performance, and also needlessly telling through clunky conversations. And I’m not even sure that Chris Pratt’s Keats has a story to be told, with a performance that’s a MAD Magazine fold-in of Star-Lord and Andy Dwyer. The excellent supporting cast of Stanley Tucci, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Alexander and Ke Huy Quan are unfortunately saddled with one-dimensional roles that do nothing beyond further the plot, and a lot of their work is further hindered by being delivered through low-res face screens.

Too early into the runtime — like, barely past the opening chunk of exposition delivered by the late MTV News great Kurt Loder and a Bill Clinton impersonator — I wanted to ignore all the humans and take my time exploring the shapes, sizes and intelligence levels of every bot in this world, silently hoping to run into Futurama’s Hedonism bot somewhere. As Michelle’s sidekick, the Alan Tudyk voiced Cosmo Kid boasts a fixed expression and a limited number of pre-recorded phrases, and it’s just flat-out a better performance than what we get from the rest of the ensemble.

This version of The Electric State should have been a spinoff focusing entirely on imaginative creations like the stage-magician bot Perplexo (voiced by Hank Azaria), aging baseball-oriented droid Popfly (Brian Cox), do-good postal worker Penny Pal (Jenny Slate), and monocled local leader Mr. Peanut (Woody Harrelson). As Herman, the nesting-robot sidekick of Chris Pratt’s Keats, Anthony Mackie is the bot with the most amount of dialogue, and thus sounds the most like a Saturday Morning cartoon.

Perhaps the most baffling thing about this wildly expensive movie is that I can only remember a dozen or so instances where my brain actively recognized some form of humor being attempted, and at no point was I laughing at any of it. I suppose I can appreciate that Pratt isn’t horking quips the entire time, but one of the key verbally comedic sequences involves Keats instructing Michelle to temporarily go by the fake name “Veronica,” and she questions whether he said “Beronica.”

To be clear, that joke would only ever work in the very first issue of Archie Comics, which would have still been published 55 years before that hi-larious misunderstanding happened.

The Russos should always make memorable characters a bigger priority than complicated plots or special effects.

It's undeniable that Markus and McFeely's script could have used some exposition snips and an infusion of comedic festiveness. But I also think one of The Electric State's imbalances lies in Anthony and Joe Russo having come so far from their directing roots that high-effort splendor and magnificence seem to take precedence over creating memorable characters – at least outside the MCU.

To be sure, I fully understand that most of their past directorial efforts that I happen to love the most were part of TV comedies that are notorious for intentionally complicated plotting and boundary-pushing stories: Arrested Development and Community. But those are both also ensemble-driven affairs, and much like the Avengers movies, a ton of characters are able to shine in memorable ways that complement the surrounding chaos.

But for all the quirky CGI bits and bobs sprinkled throughout, The Electric State doesn’t give any of its living and breathing characters a single hero moment that feels destined to inspire any fan art, and there isn’t a single line of dialogue that I can imagine ever entering the pop culture lexicon. I honestly can’t remember if Pratt’s character had a purpose or a goal, and that’s not the kind of thing that fans of the Russos expect.

The brothers’ work within the MCU is not yet done, of course, but once they return to non-Marvel storytelling, I can only hope they find a way to return to character-first storytelling, and if the plots also happen to be amazing and full of digital effects wizardry, so be it. Now, somebody pass me one of those VR helmets.

As we inch closer and closer to the release of Avengers: Doomsday, although we've been given little snippets and clues here and there, for the most part, this Doctor Doom-centric story remains a mystery. Details are slim in order to avoid any major spoilers and leaks, which is known to happen. But that also means comic book fans aren’t really sure what to expect, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo shared where some of their inspiration is coming from, and it makes me cautiously optimistic.

In recent months, the Russo Brothers have been sharing more snippets into their thought process behind Doomsday, as well as Avengers: Secret Wars. They have spoken before about how crafting Doctor Doom has been ‘very intense’, as well as about how they have a ‘radical vision’ for these two movies. On the subject of source material inspiration, they informed TechRadar that they are drawing from both the 1980s and 2010s comic book series that bear the Secret Wars title, which obviously makes sense. On the topic of how closely to those comic books the movie is gonna follow, Joe Russo had this to say:

If you’re like and have only read summaries of these comic books, to just give you a quick rundown of those stories. The 1980s Secret Wars series by Jim Shooter tells the story of The Beyonder, a cosmic entity that is determined to find the best superpowered being of them all to do battle in a distant galaxy called Battleworld.

The 2010 Secret Wars series by Jonathan Hickman involves the destruction of the Marvel multiverse. This is due to a cataclysmic event that causes the various universes to collide and destroy each other. The fragments of whatever is left from these realities are stitched together to form a Battleworld that is ruled over by an iteration of Doctor Doom. Based on this bare bones knowledge, it’s safe to say that we’re probably going to see some combined iteration of these stories reflected in Doomsday and Secret Wars.

The MCU's Multiverse Saga, unlike its predecessor, The Infinity Saga, has had some issues with finding its footing when it comes to resonating with the audience. Since the announcement of Robert Downey Jr. coming back to play Doctor Doom, many have been wary about the future of Doomsday and Secret Wars. Some of this is because Doctor Doom completely replaced Kang, who was set up in Loki Season 1 and the Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania end-credits scene to be the next Thanos level threat. However, because Jonathan Majors was dropped by Marvel due to his legal issues, Doctor Doom was brought in to fill that big bad role, something Majors has commented on.

This kind of massive, full story change instead of a simple switch of actors has me and other fans weary on whether or not this will be a success. But I remain cautiously optimistic solely because the original source material that the Russo Brothers are drawing inspiration from already seem like compelling stories. As a writer myself, I will trust the process until more information is given.

There are rumors as to why Doctor Doom will be the main antagonist, but only time will tell if those rumors are correct. Seeing as we still have The Fantastic Four: First Steps coming up as part of the 2025 movies schedule, and Doom is that team's arch-nemesis, fingers are crossed that we might see a teaser in that movie for what’s to come in regard to his involvement in Doomsday. Only time will tell.

The future is both bright and doom-laden for the filmmaking siblings Anthony and Joe Russo, who are handling the most important pair of upcoming Marvel movies possible in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. But before all that superheroic chaos comes their latest cinematic effort, Netflix’s original feature The Electric State, a bonkers-looking novel adaptation that unfortunately isn’t winning over critics nearly as much as their MCU features.

At least when it comes Rotten Tomatoes’ aggregated reviews, The Electric State sounds like it’s lacking in electrical power, which is disappointing to see ahead of the film’s release. (It’s available to stream on Friday, March 14, with a Netflix subscription.) The cumulative response to the Russos’ latest film, which boasts Mr. Peanut as a main character alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt’s leads, is surprisingly low overall, but especially when compared to their action-packed efforts for Marvel.

The Electric State's RT Score Is Undeniably Rotten

One of the most expensive films ever produced, with a reported budget that's well above $300 million, The Electric State will almost definitely generate a ton of viewership and I wouldn't be surprised if the platform enjoys a subscriber uptick specifically from the Russo brothers' fans. And it'll be very interesting to see where the Audience score lands for Electric State on Rotten Tomatoes, because the current critical score is rather abysmal.

• The Electric State - 23% Rotten (based on 22 reviews)

And not to beat a CGI-crafted dead horse here, but even the handful of reviews that eked past the Fresh-threshold weren't exactly glowing, and fell on the side of "it wasn't so terrible that my day was ruined." To the Russos' credit, many critics appear to agree that The Electric State looks vibrant and engaging throughout, and mostly nails effects sequences, which is something they've long had experience with in the world of Marvel's heroes.

However, unlike the strong screenplays and story beats that the duo's MCU projects gave fans, The Electric State's script from Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, and Simon Stålenhag gets the biggest amount of blowback in reviews. The narrative struck many as hokey and by-the-numbers, without any of the comedy that Anthony and Joe Russo excelled with in Community and Arrested Development.

The Netflix movie drew way more comparisons to their 2022 thriller The Gray Man (45% RT score) and Cherry (37%) than Captain America: Winter Soldier and their other Marvel fare. Which is possibly telling, depending on one's mileage where those films are concerned. Speaking of the MCU...

All The Russo Brothers' MCU RT Scores Tower Over The Electric State's

Given how more recent Marvel Studios releases such as Captain America: Brave New World have fared with critics and moviegoers, it's sli-i-i-ightly easier to forget just how acclaimed Anthony and Joe Russo's four films were, and they will likely continue to set a high bar for future MCU efforts to aim for.

Here's where each of those films currently sits on Rotten Tomatoes:

• Captain America: The Winter Soldier - 90% Critics, 92% Audience
• Captain America: Civil War - 91% Critics, 89% Audience
• The Avengers: Infinity War - 85% Critics, 92% Audience
• The Avengers: Endgame - 94% Critics, 90% Audience

So much of the filmmakers' immediate future will be invested in bringing Robert Downey Jr. back into the MCU as Doctor Doom and grouping myriad superheroes and villains together again for their pair of Avengers films, which will reportedly be filmed closely together, with a relatively short hiatus between productions. And with respects to those hoping for Mr. Peanut to breakout as a character actor, maybe that's a good thing.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a machine of content, arriving both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Some of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies are The Russos' pair of Avengers movies: Doomsday and Secret Wars. But while some recent movies like Deadpool 3 had exterior shot leaks, the pair of filmmakers is already planning on how to combat that.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars is super limited for the time being, but development on the blockbusters is seemingly in full swing. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are hyped about Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the universe as Doctor Doom, but The Russos spoke to Collider about actively trying to avoid leaks via photographers. Joe Russo confirmed that the majority of production will be on locked down sound stages, saying:

I mean, can you blame him at this point? There have been a number of big blockbusters who had costumes and locations spoiled because of the paparazzi. Drones captured footage of Ariana Grande filming "No One Mourns The Wicked", revealing her costumes and vocals long before trailers were out. Additionally, the live-action Moana faced leaks of Dwayne Johnson as Maui.

In the same interview, Anthony Russo also shared how the fear of paparazzi is affecting another part of production: exactly where exteriors are shot. As he put it:

This is just one example of how many decisions go into every movie, let alone a wildly expensive Avengers movie set in the MCU. But the fandom has faith in The Russos, as their previous movies in the shared universe always high up in the Marvel movies ranked. So if anyone can make the wild multiversal story of the next two movies happen it's them.

It certainly does seem like development for Doomsday and Secret Wars is underway, with casting news starting to trickle out about the titles. The Russos recently spoke about Robert Downey Jr.'s backstory work for Doctor Doom, and it sounds like the Oscar winning actor is heavily involved in crafting this new villainous persona.

In the comics, Secrets Wars puts heroes together in an epic multiversal battle, and fans are expecting that to be adapted for the forthcoming film. Alas the studio, as well as The Russos, are keeping their cards close to the chest for the time being. But fans are curious to see what heroes get in on the fun, and who might be playing variant versions of their signature heroes. Just about anything could happen, but we'll have to wait since those movies aren't in the 2025 movie release list.

In 2018 and 2019, Marvel Studios pulled off one of the greatest blockbuster events of all time with the release of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame... but how can the Marvel Cinematic Universe reach that peak level of excitement again? That's the mission that lies ahead for the filmmakers behind Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and while we don't yet know much about what is being planned, co-director Joe Russo has teased a "very radical" approach to the twin films.

With the next two Avengers films set to be released in 2026 and 2027, production is set to commence this summer. As is the case with all Marvel productions, lips are being kept sealed tight about what we can expect from the upcoming Marvel blockbusters, but Joe Russo recently told The Hollywood Reporter at the Hollywood premiere of The Electric State that a fresh approach is being taken that should result in a different kind of MCU movie. Said the filmmaker,

That idea of challenging audiences was echoed by Joe Russo on that same red carpet when he and his brother Anthony Russo were asked about their work on Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars by Deadline. He also outlined the plans for the production and stressfulness of scheduling the making of the blockbusters in the same summer, saying,

To clarify Joe Russo's statement about shooting "fairly" back to back, he confirmed last year that there will be a longer break between principal photography for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars compared to what was done for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Certainly part of the "radical" approach that is being taken by the filmmakers for the blockbusters is the fact that established Marvel stars will be taking on entirely new parts. It was confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that Robert Downey Jr., the man the world knows as Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, will be playing the villainous Victor Von Doom in both titles, and there have been rumors that he won't be the only one switching up roles. There have been reports that Chris "Captain America" Evans will also be back in some capacity following his cameo as Johnny Storm in last year's Deadpool & Wolverine.

Who else might we see show up in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars? With production starting in the next few months, it's almost guaranteed that we'll start learning more about the cast and characters, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest news and updates.

It has been years since we saw the greatest heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe fight together, but the wait will be over soon upon the release of Avengers: Doomsday. However, the upcoming Marvel movie is not just bringing back the usual favorites.

Because this 39th installment of the long-running franchise of acclaimed superhero movies is finally bringing in one of the most feared villains in comic book history, Kevin Feige and co. is assembling a team unlike anything the MCU has seen before, combining familiar faces, newcomers, and even a few people from other corners of the Marvel multiverse. Let’s get into who is avenging this time and what else we know about the upcoming superhero movie in the following guide to Avengers: Doomsday.

What Is The Avengers: Doomsday Release Date?

Currently, Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026. Also, as of March 2025, we know that the MCU’s fifth epic crossover film is now in production.

Avengers: Doomsday is one of only two Marvel movies scheduled to arrive in 2026, the other being an upcoming Spider-Man movie, the currently untitled Spider-Man 4 with Tom Holland, which will play on the big screen a few months earlier. However, the MCU has already had a big year with the 2025 movie schedule so far, with the release of Captain America: Brave New World, and on the 2025 TV premiere schedule too, with new Marvel TV shows on Disney+ like Daredevil: Brave New World. This year will also see Thunderbolts* hitting theaters in May and The Fantastic Four: First Steps debuting in July.

What Avengers: Doomsday Is About

As per usual, very little regarding the plot of Avengers: Doomsday has been revealed, save that the main villain of the story is Victor von Doom, otherwise known as Doctor Doom. Going to war against the ruthless Latverian monarch will not be just one team of vigilantes, but a supergroup, if you will, comprised of several veterans from the Avengers, a few established MCU characters who have never officially fought with team, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and members of the Thunderbolts.

So, the characters involved are the only concrete details we can speak of at the moment, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo did share with TechRadar that they are taking inspiration from Marvel Comics’ Secret Wars arcs, including one published in the 1980s and another from the 2010s. Previously, the plot of the fifth Avengers film was intended to revolve around a different “big bad” and was going to be called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors was dropped by Marvel in 2023 following high-profile legal troubles.

The Avengers: Doomsday Cast

Fans received the first, and easily the most shocking, announcement regarding who would be in the Avengers: Doomsday cast in Summer 2024 at San Diego Comic Con. The Hall H crowd erupted into a roar of excitement and confusion when it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, but not as Iron Man. Instead, the Academy Award winner (for his supporting role in Oppenheimer) is the one putting the “doom” in Avengers: Doomsday by starring as Doctor Doom.

In March of this year, Marvel Studios revealed who would be taking on the dastardly foe with a live-streamed video on X (formerly Twitter), which is now available on YouTube, lasting more than five hours, in which foldout chairs bearing the actors’ names were placed next to each other, one by one, every 15 minutes. In addition to established veterans of the franchise, the previewed ensemble also includes the stars of upcoming flicks Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, as well as a few who are making their MCU debuts but not their Marvel debuts, having previously starred in the live-action X-Men movies.

Check out the full Avengers: Doomsday cast, complete with character names, below:

• Chris Hemsworth (Thor)
• Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm / Invisible Woman)
• Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson / Captain America)
• Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes)
• Letitia Wright (Shuri / Black Panther)
• Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man)
• Wyatt Russell (John Walker / U.S. Agent)
• Tenoch Huerta (Namor)
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm / The Thing)
• Simu Liu (Xu Shang-Chi)
• Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova)
• Kelsey Grammer (Hank McCoy / Beast)
• Lewis Pullman (Bob / Sentry)
• Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres / Falcon)
• Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm / Human Torch)
• David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian)
• Winston Duke (M'Baku)
• Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr / Ghost)
• Tom Hiddleston (Loki)
• Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier / Professor X)
• Ian McKellen (Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto)
• Alan Cumming (Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler)
• Rebecca Romijn (Raven Darkhölme / Mystique)
• James Marsden (Scott Summers / Cyclops)
• Channing Tatum (Remy LeBeau / Gambit)
• Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic)
• Robert Downey Jr. (Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom)

Avengers: Secret Wars Has Also Been Announced

Joe and Anthony Russo revealed to Omelete that, while Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were two halves of a finale to the MCU’s first saga, Avengers: Doomsday will be the first half of a new beginning for the franchise. Avengers: Secret Wars (currently set to release in December 2027) will be the finale to Phase Six and the Multiverse Saga overall.

The sixth Avengers movie shares its name with the aforementioned comic book arc, which ran for 12 issues from 1984 to 1985, in which an omnipotent being called the Beyonder brings various heroes and villains (including Doctor Doom) to the planet Battleworld and pits them against each other like gladiators. I can only assume (or hope) that the MCU actors who were not named in the casting announcement (such as Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, Hawkeye’s Jeremy Renner, or Elizabeth Olsen of Scarlet Witch fame) will be involved in that story. I wonder if we will also see any unnamed stars of the Fox-era X-Men movies, such as Halle Berry as Storm or Ryan Reynolds, who made his MCU debut alongside Hugh Jackman in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

Joe And Anthony Russo Are Directing Avengers: Doomsday

Some of the titles considered to be the absolute best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies include Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame – all of which are directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. The brotherly duo previously claimed they would be walking away from the franchise for good after their 2019 smash, but it looks like you should never say never. The Russos are directing both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which, according to Variety, was a top condition for Robert Downey Jr.’s return.

After most recently working with the Russos as the co-writer for their Netflix original movies, The Gray Man and The Electric State, Stephen McFeely is reteaming with them to pen Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. He had previously written several classic MCU movies, including Endgame, with his frequent partner, Christopher Markus, but this will be his first solo effort with the franchise. Loki creator Michael Waldron was previously serving as the screenwriter when Daniel Destin Cretton was still on board as the director.

How To Watch All The Previous Avengers Movies

You still have plenty of time to catch up on or revisit all of the Marvel movies in order before Avengers: Doomsday is released. However, if you are only in the mood to see the installment in which the team comes together, all you need is a Disney+ subscription. Of course, there are also other ways to watch The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, as seen below:

I was already pretty jazzed by the idea of Robert Downey Jr. coming back to the MCU as Doctor Doom, but now that the Fox-era X-Men will be joining in on the fun, I could not be more excited. And this is only the beginning of what we have to learn about Avengers: Doomsday.

I know a lot of people are looking forward to the upcoming 2025 movies that will thrill fan of every genre, as well as aficionados who love the work of both Chris Hemsworth and The Russo Brothers. While Avengers: Doomsday looks to start shooting next spring, it appears the directing siblings also gave a promising update on Extraction 3’s status!

But while the sequel to one of best action movies seems to be chugging along, this news has me worried another Netflix property the Russos have on their dance card may be forgotten in the shuffle.

Extraction 3 Is Further Along Than You Thought

Collider spoke with the Avengers: Endgame directors during their time at New York Comic-Con, as they were on hand to promote their upcoming movie The Electric State. It was during this sit-down that Joe Russo started spreading the news on the follow-up to the rad action in Extraction 2, and there was quite a bit revealed for an early tease.

Going over a timetable for production, as well as teasing what may be a part of the story, Russo had this to say:

Well damn, it looks like I seriously need to get a move on and watch both Extraction movies so I can prepare properly for this next chapter. Just the prospect of Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth kicking all sorts of ass in the field has me getting a bit more hyped myself. That excitement comes at a cost though, as this Netflix project seems like yet another obstacle that comes between myself and another Russo Brothers franchise that hasn’t seen much movement as of late.

Are We Ever Going To Get That Sequel To The Gray Man?

It’s been almost two years since I wrote my The Gray Man review, hoping to see more Court Gentry action in the foreseeable future. Now here I am, bracing my heart for some sort of cancellation news, as there still seems to be zero movement on what was once a promising front. Back in 2022, mere days after the first film’s premiere on Netflix, The Gray Man’s franchise announcement pledged to keep playing in what might still be considered Netflix’s most expensive film.

This, in turn, gave way to Scott Stuber’s Gray Man update from late 2023, in which he seemed to walk things back ever so slightly. Citing the need to “slow down” and think about how to bring Ryan Gosling and other surviving cast members back in a meaningful way, I can definitely see that as a valid concern. At the same time, why should there have been any announcement behind future installments if development was in such a tenuous state?

I know that potential franchises are propped up and discarded on a semi-regular basis in the current market, so The Gray Man’s potential fadeout isn’t that surprising. That being said, as The Russo Brothers are about to rejoin the MCU with the upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, adding Extraction 3 to the docket only makes this prospect seem that much further away.

At least we’re getting some more Idris Elba action in this new Netflix sequel. And if you want to see why everyone’s so worked up over both Extraction pictures, you can head over to your Netflix subscription and stream them both back to back. As for Extraction 3, there’s no set release date, so we’ll just have to wait and hear what’s next in the world of Tyler Rake.

Joe and Anthony Russo have been carving out a cinematic lane for themselves outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past few years. However, it was confirmed earlier this year that the Russos would return to the superhero fold to direct the next two Avengers films. Filming has yet to commence but, in the interim, the directors reunited with Robert Downey Jr. – who will play the villain of their upcoming Marvel movies – as well as Thanos actor Josh Brolin. There’s a sweet photo of the meet-up, but it’s the caption that’s truly top-notch.

RDJ is headlining a production of McNeal at the Lincoln Center Theater. The Russos checked out the show sometime this past weekend alongside the aforementioned Sicario star as well as veteran writer/director Donald Mustard. The Gray Man filmmakers shared the photo from the reunion to their Instagram and, based on the snapshot all five men looked happy to be in each other's company. Check it out in the pic – which Downey also shared to his IG story – and take a look at the pitch-perfect caption:

What’s wild is that I would actually love to see a scenario in which Doctor Doom and Thanos actually walk into Lincoln Center Theater in New York. I’d imagine that it would probably be quite strange to see a large, purple alien hanging out with a cloaked figure wearing a metal mask. I honestly can’t tell if I’m just going too far thinking about all of this, or if I’m actually crafting what could be an amazing episode of Marvel’s What If…? But I digress.

In all seriousness, though, it’s sweet that the Russos had the opportunity to see their friend and colleague perform on stage alongside Josh Brolin. The cast and crew of the MCU have always seemed close, maintaining contact even when they’re not collaborating on superhero blockbusters. For instance, the OG Avengers stars have a group chat (through which they’ve discussed Chris Evans’ Sexiest Man Alive title and more). So, considering how close everyone seems to be it’s not surprising at all that this latest encounter at LCT happened.

One would imagine that the Citadel EPs are relishing this time, as they’re about to get very busy. For starters, the two are in the early days of promoting their 2025 movie release – Netflix’s sci-fi flick The Electric State. The post-apocalyptic, action/adventure flick stars Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Giancarlo Esposito and more. And, following that press tour, of course, the two brothers will likely get knee deep into their MCU obligations.

The Russos are directing Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which are set to be released in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Plot details are being kept under wraps at this point but, based on the rumors and reports surrounding the two event films, these two installments could be monumental for the MCU narrative-wise just as the brothers’ last two Marvel flicks – Infinity War and Endgame. Given that Robert Downey Jr. is playing Doctor Doom in those films, the two filmmakers are going to be spending a lot of time with the Oscar winner moving forward.

It’s unclear exactly when the trio and their collaborators will kick off production on the two ambitious films. But, for now, I’m just loving the fact that RDJ, the Russos and Josh Brolin were able to meet up under less formal circumstances. (I’ll also continue to ponder how an outing at the LCT would play out for Doom and Thanos.)

You can see the group’s work in the MCU by streaming the Marvel movies in order using a Disney+ subscription.

While the list of A-listers who have joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe is long and diverse, another list that’s worth looking into is the wild group of actors, performers and others who have said yes to doing cameos. So, in celebration of those folks, here are the 32 best cameos in the MCU. 

Harry Styles As Eros In The Eternals 

Big names pop up in the MCU all the time, however, they’re almost always well-known actors. While Harry Styles has had a few acting roles, it’s not his primary profession, so yes, it was shocking when the singer showed up as Eros, Thanos’ brother, in the post-credits scene of The Eternals. However, since the film’s release in 2021, Styles’ future in the MCU has remained unknown, leaving his role as simply a cameo and nothing more.  

Blake Lively As Lady Deadpool In Deadpool & Wolverine 

Leading into Deadpool & Wolverine’s release, the speculation about who would play Lady Deadpool was running rampant. However, it wasn’t all too shocking when it was revealed that Ryan Reynolds’ wife Blake Lively was playing the female variant of her partner’s merc with the mouth.  

Sam Neill As Odin’s Actor In Thor: Ragnarok 

While the Thor: Ragnarok cast is stacked with legends like Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum and more, Taika Waititi also assembled quite the ensemble of cameos to play a troupe of actors in Asgard who put on a play about Thor and his family. This included Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill, who portrayed Anthony Hopkins’ King of Asgard, Odin.  

Stan Lee As Various Characters 

While future MCU projects sadly won’t have any in-person Stan Lee cameos, we can always re-watch the Marvel movies in order to see the legendary comic writer. Before his death in 2018, Stan Lee made cameos in just about every Marvel project, whether it was from Marvel Studios, Fox or Sony. 

Some fan-favorite cameos from him included his role as a security guard in Captain America: The Winter Solider, a New York resident being interviewed on the news in The Avengers and an astronaut telling a story to the Watchers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, among many, many, many others. 

Matt Damon As Loki’s Actor In Thor: Ragnarok 

In the play Loki orchestrated in Thor: Ragnarok that tells the (not so true) story of him and his family, Matt Damon was cast to play the role of Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief. Which honestly, is inspired casting. Damon also popped in the non-MCU Deadpool 2. 

Kevin Bacon As Himself In Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Bringing a joke from Guardians of the Galaxy full circle almost eight years later, Peter’s hero Kevin Bacon finally appears. However, it’s kind of against his will, because Drax and Mantis decide to go to Earth and steal the Footloose actor to give to Chris Pratt’s character as a gift of holiday cheer.  

Miley Cyrus As Mainframe In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, we see a group of Ravagers approach The Guardians. One of them is a robot head named Mainframe, and it's voiced by Miley Cyrus.

Trevor Noah As Griot In Black Panther

Much like how Paul Bettany voiced J.A.R.V.I.S., Trevor Noah voiced Griot, Shuri’s artificial intelligence she uses at her lab in Wakanda in Black Panther. 

Melissa McCarthy As Hela’s Actress In Thor: Love and Thunder 

Adding to the mix of A-listers playing actors who are playing Thor characters (try saying that five times fast), Melissa McCarthy took on the role of Cate Blanchett’s Hela – the goddess of death – in Thor: Love and Thunder. She joined the theatrical company that already featured Sam Neill, Matt Damon and Luke Hemsworth to reenact the events of Thor: Ragnarok in Taika Waititi’s second movie about the God of Thunder.

Kenneth Branagh As Asgardian Distress Call In Avengers: Infinity War

You probably know that Kenneth Branagh directed the first Thor movie. However, what you might not know is he provided a meaningful Easter egg for Avengers: Infinity War. He voiced the Asgardian Distress Call that was played after Thanos attacked their ship. 

Luke Hemsworth As Thor’s Actor In Thor: Ragnarok 

Who else could play Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in an Asgardian play about the adventures of the God of Thunder and his family? Truly, picking Luke Hemsworth to play his real-life brother’s character was fantastic! The added bonus that makes all this even better is their other brother, Liam Hemsworth also auditioned to play the god back in the day. 

Bruce Campbell As Pizza Poppa In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw director Sam Raimi’s return to the superhero genre. With him came his The Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell, who played Pizza Poppa in the Doctor Strange movie. 

Bill Maher As Himself In Iron Man 3

During a montage of news clips in Iron Man 3, Bill Maher pops up as they’re talking about War Machine’s rebrand into The Iron Patriot. 

Charlie Cox As Daredevil In Spider-Man: No Way Home

If you saw Spider-Man: No Way Home in theaters on opening night, you likely heard applause when Charlie Cox made his big-screen MCU debut as Matt Murdock. While he played Daredevil for three seasons on his Netflix show, and he has returned as the character since this cameo where he was giving Peter Parker legal advice, this was the first time we’d seen Cox back in action in years. 

Tom Morello As Gaurd In Iron Man

Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello made one of the first cameos in the MCU when he popped up for a quick second in Iron Man. In the movie, he played a guard in the Ten Rings camp that Tony Stark was being held at. 

Joan Rivers As Herself In Iron Man 3

Along with Bill Maher and a bunch of other TV personalities, Joan Rivers popped up to rib on War Machine’s rebranding in Iron Man 3. 

Harry Dean Stanton As Security Guard In The Avengers

In The Avengers, there’s a security guard who finds Bruce Banner after he crashes into the Earth as Hulk. That guard is played by Harry Dean Stanton, who is best known for his roles in classic films like Alien, The Green Mile, Paris Texas and Repo Man. 

Justin Theroux As Police Officer In Iron Man 2

Not only did Justin Theroux write Iron Man 2, but he also had the smallest blink-and-you-’ll-miss-it cameo, per CBR. He played one of the police officers who arrested Justin Hammer and escorted Pepper Potts off the premises toward the end of the film. 

Rob Zombie As Ravager Navigator In Guardians of the Galaxy

In many of James Gunn’s movies, Rob Zombie makes a cameo. After doing that for Slither and Super, he lent his voice to his friend's first Marvel movie by voicing a Ravager Navigator in Guardians of the Galaxy. 

Megan Thee Stallion As Herself In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

We can thank Jameela Jamil for Megan Thee Stallion’s incredible cameo in She-Hulk. The rapper appeared in an episode of the Disney+ show during a courtroom scene, and then she popped up one more time to twerk with the titular attorney. 

David Hasselhoff As Himself In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

When Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill was a kid he’d pretend that David Hasselhoff was his dad. So, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Hasselhoff was part of one of the songs on the soundtrack – “Guardians Inferno” –  and it plays during the end credits. And at the very end of those credits, you can see his face pop up as he says the final words of the song. Talk about an epic cameo.

Brett Goldstein As Hercules In Thor: Love and Thunder

In the post-credit scene for Thor: Love and Thunder, Brett Goldstein appeared as Hercules. In his brief scene, he was shown speaking with Russell Crowe’s Zeus. It was thrilling to see the Ted Lasso star show up as the son of Zeus, however, it’s been years since that happened, and he hasn’t shown up again. 

Ken Jeong As Security Guard In Avengers: Endgame

Before the Russo Brothers were making big fancy Marvel movies, they worked on Community. So, it’s always fun to see actors from that show pop up in the MCU. For example in Avengers: Endgame, Ken Jeong appeared for a quick cameo as a security guard who is watching over the storage unit that Ant-Man’s van is in. 

Nathan Fillion As Monstrous Inmate In Guardians of the Galaxy And Headpool In Deadpool And Wolverine

You can see Nathan Fillion (looking like himself) as a major member of the supporting cast in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as he plays Master Karja. However, before that, he had a cameo in James Gunn’s first Guardians movie, because he voiced “Monstrous Inmate.” After that, he voiced Headpool during the Deadpool variant fight in Deadpool and Wolverine. 

Brad Pitt As The Vanisher In Deadpool 2

Now, I fully realize Deadpool 2 wasn’t technically in the MCU, but Deadpool and Wolverine is, so this counts. One of the most fun cameos maybe ever came when Brad Pitt appeared for a split second in the Ryan Reynolds-led sequel to play The Vanisher right as he gets electrocuted. 

Joe Russo As Grieving Man In Avengers: Endgame

Joe and Anthony Russo are best known as the guys behind the camera who led some of the best Marvel movies, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and, of course, Avengers: Endgame. So, in this big finale for the MCU’s Infinity Saga, Joe Russo made a cameo as part of Steve Rogers' support group. 

Yvette Nicole Brown As S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent In Avengers: Endgame

The Russo Brothers didn’t forget their roots, and included multiple members of the Community cast in their Marvel movies. This included Yvette Nicole Brown, who played a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that Tony Stark and Steve Rogers run into when they go back in time to steal Pym Particles. 

David Bradley As Tower Keeper In Captain America: The First Avenger

David Bradley is a legendary British character actor, and you’ll likely recognize him for his role as Filch in the Harry Potter cast or as The Doctor in various episodes of Doctor Who. He also notably played a small role as the Tower Keeper protecting the Tesseract in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Danny Pudi As Com Tech #1 In Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The Russo Brothers adore their Community cast, so in their first Marvel movie, they gave Danny Pudi, Abed himself, a little cameo. For a brief minute, you can see him as Com Tech #1 during the beloved Captain America sequel. 

Garrett Morris As Car Driver In Ant-Man

While Ant-Man himself is played by a comedy legend, that actor being Paul Rudd, there’s another hilarious icon in this cast. Yep, original Saturday Night Live cast member Garrett Morris (who actually dressed up as the superhero on the sketch comedy show back in the day) appeared in this movie as a man driving a car that Ant-Man fell onto, and it’s fantastic!

Matthew McConaughey As Cowboypool In Deadpool and Wolverine

When all the variants of Deadpool appeared to fight Deadpool and Wolverine, one of them was Cowboypool. Fittingly, the Western Merc with the Mouth was voiced by Matthew McConaughey.

Henry Cavill As Cavillrine In Deadpool and Wolverine

When Wade Wilson was looking for a Wolverine to bring back to his universe, he came across one version of Logan who was played by Henry Cavill. After seeing fanart of the former Superman as the X-Man, it was clear he was a good fit for the part, and it was incredible to see Deadpool and Wolverine act on the fans’ wishes. 

As you can see the range of these cameos is wide, and frankly legendary. And we’re sure that as Marvel continues to release movies and TV shows, the iconic cameos will keep coming. 

Marvel Studios made a big splash at San Diego Comic-Con this week by revealing that Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom in the newly-titled Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Additionally though, it was confirmed that directors Joe and Anthony Russo are also returning to the MCU to helm this pair of upcoming Marvel movies. Like Downey, they made their initial MCU exit back in 2019 when Avengers: Endgame was released, but now they’re back to pick up the directorial reins, and Zack Snyder, a filmmaker with his own superhero media experience, commented to CinemaBend about the Russos tackling the next two Avengers movies.

Snyder, of course, was one of the key architects of the DC Extended Universe, having directed Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the original iteration of Justice League, with the four-hour cut of that latter project being released to people with a Max subscription in 2021. While speaking with Snyder on the ReelBlend Podcast about the director’s cuts of the Rebel Moon movies that will arrive to Netflix subscription holders on August 2, and our own Sean O’Connell asked him what he thought about the Russos returning for Doomsday and Secret Wars, and he responded:

“Shake it up” is an interesting way to look at this considering Joe and Anthony Russo have already left some of the biggest marks on the MCU with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. If anything, it’s bringing more familiarity, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. On the other hand, having directed Cherry, The Gray Man and The Electric State post-Endgame, it’s easy to envision the Russos being newly energized and game to guide the MCU to its next status quo-changing pair of movies after previously thinking they were done with this franchise. Regardless, Zack Snyder likes their work and is looking forward to seeing what they plan to deliver the capstones of The Multiverse Saga.

While no director was ever announced to be directing Avengers: Secret Wars prior to San Diego Comic-Con, originally the plan for the fifth Avengers movie, previously called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, to be directing by Destin Daniel Cretton. However, he exited the project in November 2023, and then the following month, Marvel fired Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors. Now Downey’s Doctor Doom is taking over as the lead antagonist of these two movies, and along with an unknown number of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes joining forces again, Doomsday and Secret Wars will also include the Fantastic Four following their MCU debut in the newly-titled The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

We’ll see how Joe and Anthony Russo do with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars when the former is released on May 1, 2026, and the latter follows on May 7, 2027. As for Zack Snyder, although it hasn’t been announced what movie he’ll direct next, he has been attached for several years to Planet of the Dead, the sequel to his 2021 flick Army of the Dead.

When going through the Marvel movies in order, some of the best came from directors Joe and Anthony Russo. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame being among the most consequential movies in this franchise, and that last entry once ranked as the highest-grossing movie of all time. Well, evidently their time in the MCU isn’t done just yet, as word came in earlier this week that the Russos are being courted to direct Avengers 5 and 6. Additionally, it’s now been reported that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige turned down some directors with major superhero cred to helm these upcoming Marvel movies.

According to Puck (via ComicBookMovie), while it was previously claimed that many directors turned down the directing the next two Avengers movies given what massive undertakings they’ll be, allegedly Feige wasn’t interested in having directors tied to the Hollywood agency CAA like Noah Hawley and Greg Greg Berltanti, among other unnamed individuals, working on them. While neither of these men are filmmakers on the same cinematic level as the Russos, they’re no stranger to telling onscreen superhero stories.

Noah Hawley’s contribution to the genre came through Legion, the X-Men tie-in series that followed David Haller, the mutant son of Professor Charles Xavier. Legion was met with positive critical reception during its three-season run on FX, and it can be streamed now with a Hulu subscription. Hawley, whose other major credits include Fargo and the upcoming Alien: Earth, also announced at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con that he was writing and directing a Doctor Doom movie, but that project was shelved with Disney acquired 20th Century Fox.

As for Greg Berlanti, he was one of the principal architects of the Arrowverse, i.e. the shared continuity of DC TV shows on The CW like Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl. His other DC TV credits include developing the Max series Titans and being an executive producer on Doom Patrol, Stargirl and Batwoman (another Arrowverse series), among others. Berlanti also co-wrote 2011’s Green Lantern with fellow Arrowverse alum Marc Guggenheim, Michael Green and Michael Goldenberg.

With the exception of Noah Hawley helming 2019’s Lucy in the Sky, as indicated earlier, neither him nor Greg Berlanti have any feature film directing credits. So although they have all that superhero storytelling experience, I could understand why Kevin Feige might not think they’d be a good fit for Avengers 5 and 6, assuming this information is accurate. That said, remember that the Russos were best known for their work on TV shows like Arrested Development and Community before they were tapped to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

So far the only director who’s had any official tie to either of these Avengers movies is Destin Daniel Cretton, who was once slotted to helm Avengers 5, previously known as The Kang Dynasty. However, he exited the project in November 2023, though he’ll continue to contribute to the MCU through Shang-Chi 2 and the Wonder Man series. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Michael Waldron is writing the scripts for both movies.

Avengers 5 is set for release on May 1, 2026, and Avengers 6 (which still has the Secret Wars subtitle) will follow on May 7, 2027. Keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for official confirmation about Joe and Anthony Russo boarding these movies or if other directors are hired instead.

10 years ago, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the ninth of the Marvel movies in order, was released to the public, and it was a major landmark for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to being met with a wave of critical acclaim (including the 5/5 score from CinemaBlend’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier review) and making over $714 million worldwide, it also marked Joe and Antony Russo’s MCU directorial debut, with the directing duo later helming Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. So naturally the Russo Brothers shared their thoughts on The Winter Soldier turning 10 years old, and understandably, it’s making them feel “old.”

The Russos chatted with Total Film while attending the Sands: International Film Festival in St. Andrews, Scotland, and starting off, Joe Russo recollected how being tapped to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription) launched them on a professional journey that saw them overseeing four movies within less than a decade, which is a lot to ask for from any director. In his words:

Picking up several years after the events of The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier followed Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers learning that Bucky Barnes, his best friend, was still alive, albeit brainwashed into the Winter Soldier, HYDRA’s top assassin. Making matters worse, it was revealed that HYDRA, which was originally thought to have collapsed at the end of World War II, had been embedded in S.H.I.E.L.D. since its inception, and its operatives, led by Alexander Pierce, intended to use Project Insight to eliminate present and future threats to them. Fortunately, Steve was able to foil their plan alongside Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Nick Fury and Maria Hill, though S.H.I.E.L.D. was left in disarray.

During the interview, Anthony Russo mentioned that “more and more people” kept coming aboard with each new Marvel movie they made, but despite these gigantic casts and crews, he and his brother considered these people “family.” As he put it:

Following Avengers: Endgame’s release, Joe and Anthony left the MCU and directed movies like Cherry, The Gray Man and the upcoming The Electric State, which Netflix subscribers will be able to watch. While the brothers haven’t ruled out ever working with Marvel again, Joe Russo did say in 2022 that they wouldn’t be ready to do anything with the company until “the end of the decade.” Still, Captain America: The Winter Soldier undeniably remains one of the most consequential MCU movies, and considering how well it was received 10 years ago and continues to be appreciated, fans can be thankful the Russos were the ones to helm it.

Following Steve Rogers’ retirement in Avengers: Endgame and the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the MCU’s Captain America saga will continue with the upcoming Marvel movie Captain America: Brave New World, with Sam Wilson now filling the star-spangled mantle. It comes out on February 14, 2025, but the next immediate MCU movie lined up is Deadpool & Wolverine for July 26.

As a Marvel fan, the beliefs that everything is good in moderation and that it’s possible to have too much of a good thing have been hitting a bit harder these days. Superhero fatigue is plaguing many MCU fans, myself included, and sometimes it feels like we’re watching the same thing tonally over and over. Well, now some comments Joe Russo made on the set of Captain America: The Winter Soldier have re-emerged a decade after the movie's release where he gave an analogy that related Marvel movies to eating too much chocolate ice cream. And I have to admit, his words are still very relevant all these years later. 

If you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, there’s no question that Captain America: The Winter Soldier is ranked as one of the best MCU projects. Bringing the energy of a ‘70s spy thriller into this world of superheroes, directors Joe and Anthony Russo made a wholly unique superhero movie that felt different and new. Speaking to this point ten years ago on the set of the beloved film, Joe Russo told Total Film that they wanted to change things up because they felt it was important to add a new tone and voice into this growing superhero world. Using a great ice cream example, the co-director said:

He’s right, even all these years later, Winter Soldier – a five-star film in our book – still stands as one of the best MCU installments because they took a tonal turn, focused on character and made a movie that didn’t fully conform to what we’ve come to know as Marvel’s signature style. Basically, it feels like a political thriller first and then a superhero film, and that’s the kind of different flavor we need in a cinematic universe that is constantly expanding.

The same can be said for other beloved MCU projects, like Guardians of the Galaxy and one of Marvel’s best shows Loki. Like the Russo Brothers’ movies within this superhero universe, these projects had their own voices and styles while still fitting into the greater universe that’s being constructed. That can’t be said for all other projects, and at the moment I think we’ve had a bit too much chocolate ice cream rather than experimenting with new flavors. 

In 2023, it felt like too many MCU projects were coming out, and between the serious yet humorous tone Marvel has made their standard, the constant talk about the infinite multiverse, and the seemingly neverending number of mid-credit setups that might not go anywhere I felt overwhelmed. Now, fans are fatigued, and I’m hoping Marvel will be back on the upswing soon. 

It feels like they are! As Joe Russo said, with The Winter Soldier they were trying to make something new and different that would be totally unique within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on what we know about Deadpool and Wolverine – which is set to premiere on the 2024 movie schedule on July 26 – it feels like through the characters’ snarky humor, the jaw-dropping action and the R-rated-ness of the film, they’re attempting to add a new flavor. Plus, the studio seems to be slowing down their output and really putting time into perfecting their projects. As a longtime Marvel fan, this is very encouraging to hear, because, like ice cream, I like my movies high quality. 

Hopefully, as the upcoming Marvel projects come out, we’ll be able to see more filmmakers applying the mindset Joe Russo explained so many years ago on the set of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Clearly, it worked for them, because the second Cap movie (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription) is highly regarded and loved to this day.

Martin Scorsese has been ever present on his daughter’s TikTok while he promotes his latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon. One video shows him jokingly directing his dog, aptly named Oscar, on how to express emotion for his next picture. The dog name is adorable, with many fans taking it as a nod to his Academy Award wins. Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo made a similar video of his own as a response, jokingly calling his dog “Box Office.” Various cinephiles took the joke as a slight to Scorsese, whose box office returns are not as strong as Marvel films, and now Russo is clearing things up. 

He, along with his brother and directing partner Anthony Russo, recently sat down at a fan event with fellow director Kevin Smith to talk about their impact on the MCU and future projects they hope to move to. The conversation eventually turned to the controversial Instagram video, which attracted a lot of heat on the internet. Russo opened up about his intention, and how the post in question was not meant to be a slight at Scorsese, whom he greatly admires. He said:

He continued to elaborate on his thought process, saying that he was trying to use the popular video app similarly to the legendary director as a way to connect to his own young daughter. While his intentions were pure, he understood why the timing of the video may have suggested otherwise. Russo told Kevin Smith:

It seems like the entire thing was taken the wrong way, and Joe Russo never intended to cause any bad blood between himself and a film master like Martin Scorsese. However, it doesn’t feel fully off base that fans may have seen it as a small slight. Scorsese has been vocal about the negative effect the MCU and superhero movies have had on the film industry for years. He has not relented in his stance on comic book movies, and throughout his most recent press tour, he's been firm that these blockbusters can hurt smaller films financially by preventing funding. The Russo Brothers can be looked to as a symbol for big budget, flashy filmmaking, and many took the joke to be an attempt by Russo to “fight back.”

No matter how the situation may have been interpreted, Russo seems firm that his intentions were perfectly innocent. While Scorsese may not be a fan of his films, Russo is certainly a fan of the Goodfellas director’s, and sees him as a major influence. The internet debate over big studio comic book movies and their box office impact on artistic dramas continues to rage on, but it seems like the Russos want to keep things cordial with the masters. 

You can catch the latest Russo Brothers' movie, The Gray Man, streaming now with a Netflix subscription. You can also check out Martin Scorsese’s emotional epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, in theaters nationwide. 

Ever since Martin Scorsese indicated that he wasn’t a fan of superhero movies, it seems that’s just about the only thing that anybody can talk about when one of the most accomplished directors ever takes a step into the public eye. To be fair, other people are doing a lot of fan the flames. That includes Joe Russo who just took a shot at Scorsese after the director went viral on TikTok.

A recent TikTok video posted by Martin Scorsese’s daughter, which shows the director working alongside a schnauzer named “Oscar” has gone viral, because the simple fact that Scorsese is on TikTok at all is a notable state of affairs. It turns out that another director Joe Russo, is also a fan of the same breed of dog, and his is also named after his greatest movie accomplishment. Hint: it's not named Oscar.

Russo and his dog “box office” is a clear dig at Scorsese, though possibly meant to be a good-natured one, and this ongoing battle over the value of certain kinds of movies. Russo directed what was at the time highest highest-grossing movie of all time in Avengers: Endgame, which is an accomplishment certainly worthy of note. But Scorsese has certainly indicated that it's not how he determines success for his films. 

Scorsese has made it clear that he’s not a fan, not simply of “Marvel movies” but of the way movies like them have taken over theaters. In his opinion, he seems to feel there's a focus on making money rather than art. Russo seems to be celebrating the fact that his movies are held in high regard among a wide audience, as made evident by the amount of money they have made.

One would hope this fight would just end, but it seems that won’t be happening anytime soon. I would wager there’s little in the world Martin Scorsese wants to talk about less than Marvel movies, but that seems all anybody else wants to ask him about. He’s got a new movie Killers of the Flower Moon, that most who have seen it seem to think is incredible. And yes, likely will get his name mentioned alongside “Oscar” once again. 

Hollywood movie-making is a business, but it is one that involves creating art. There are always going to be films that are better at one than the other, and it’s honestly quite rare for a movie to do both in equal measure. Scorsese and the Russo Brothers are clearly at near opposite ends of the spectrum, but the idea that either of them is somehow only capable of one and not the other is silly, and not an idea that should be encouraged. Movie fans are also welcome to enjoy both equally.

At this point, the Walt Disney Company basically owns about three-quarters of modern pop culture. From the work created at Walt Disney Animation and Disneyland to what the company has acquired from Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and more, there’s a good chance that something you love is part of Disney, and not just that, part of Disneyland Resort. And now we may have the most Disney thing ever, Joe Russo, eating a Dole Whip at Disneyland while wearing mouse ears that celebrate Captain America.

It’s the massive Disney mashup you didn’t realize you needed. The co-director of several Marvel movies, including Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame standing in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland while holding a Dole Whip, and wearing Captain America mouse ears.

The video is also hilarious because it’s clearly a rough cut of some sort of promo he was putting together. Russo probably doesn’t normally walk around Disneyland wearing Captain America ears and eating Dole Whip, but that doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t do exactly that. There are a lot of people walking around Disneyland every day that look exactly like that so the filmmaker wouldn’t be out of place at all. The fact that he can’t just stand there with a Dole Whip without taking a bite is also perfect. We get it.

Right now is a good time for any Captain America fan to visit Disneyland Resort. Disney California Adventure is still running the absolutely amazing Rogers: the Musical, which is already one of the best Disney California Adventure attractions until the end of August at Disney California Adventure. It’s a Broadway-caliber show running at the park with an extremely limited run. It’s unclear at this point if it will return again after it closes at the end of the month. Though I suspect Disney’s plans for Rogers: The Musical may be much greater than simply a theme park show. 

If Joe Russo really was at Disneyland Resort around the time this video was filmed, it’s unclear if this was truly new or something older simply being posted now, one assumes he took the time to watch Rogers: The Musical. Since he and his brother Anthony handled directing every part of the MCU that included Steve Rogers in a major role, except for Captain America: The First Avenger, he would be seeing a lot of his own work transformed into a musical, which has to be pretty cool.

Captain America both the Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson versions, are also hanging around Disneyland Resort's Avengers Campus which was almost certainly another key destination for Joe Russo during this trip. Marvel has become a key part of the Disneyland Resort offerings.

Ever since Tom Holland’s first turn as Spider-Man in 2016, he has been terrible at keeping secrets. Holland has a well-documented history of letting Marvel surprises slip during interviews and accidentally divulging spoilers. It has become somewhat of a meme amongst Marvel fans, and efforts have been taken to make sure he doesn’t leak any key information. While he has gotten a bit better in the recent years, Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo can’t help but give the Uncharted star a hard time about his loose-lipped past. 

In a hilarious new TikTok posted by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO production company, Joe Russo is shown reenacting a scenario where the plot of Endgame was being discussed in 2018. However, the subject was immediately changed when Holland entered the room. This hysterically suggests the creative team did everything they could to keep quiet around the Cherry actor, so he couldn’t spoil the movie for anyone.

The creative team definitely had reasons to be worried. Holland accidentally revealed the Avengers: Infinity War poster during an Instagram Live before Marvel gave him the okay. He also leaked the Spider-Man 2 title before it was announced (although that one might have been planned), and he gave away the ending of Infinity War to an entire packed theater. By the time Disney started production on Endgame, the studio stopped giving Holland full scripts, instead only providing him scripts with his lines to prevent any leaks. Keeping secrets is hard, but the Spider-Man actor seems to have a harder time than most. 

However, only giving Holland a hard time doesn’t exactly seem fair, as many MCU actors have given away spoilers over the years. Mark Ruffalo accidentally livestreamed Thor: Ragnarok during the movie’s premiere, as well as divulged the ending of Infinity War during a press junket. In addition, Dave Bautista let Endgame knowledge slip, and Gwyneth Paltrow made her own Avengers whoopsie. With so many major stars taking part in the superhero mega franchise, it’s a wonder more information doesn’t get out. After 32 films, Marvel must practically be a spoiler-stopping machine.

Marvel still may have to continue keeping an eye on Tom Holland, as the actor isn’t quite done with the MCU just yet. While the studio may have gotten through Endgame without the actor giving away any major plot details, it's possible he'll be back for Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Kang Dynasty, so they may need to start sequestering the star now. He is also set to star in another much anticipated Spider-Man film, and I think I speak for everyone when I say the less Tom knows, the better.

While he may have a hard time keeping secrets, the Russo Brothers still love working with the superhero actor. Fans can catch Holland leading Cherry, a film led by the directing duo, which is available with an AppleTV+ subscription. MCU fans can also revisit the beloved Avengers films, which are all available for Disney+ subscribers.

One of the biggest shows on the 2023 TV schedule is finally set to debut this week, and it’s Amazon’s Citadel. The action thriller is an ambitious (and expensive) production from the streamer and features an adventure that spans different parts of the globe. Series creator David Weil has the task of managing all of the moving parts, though he has plenty of help. Among his fellow EPs are none other than famed filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo. Weil was able to work closely with the duo and revealed the most “extraordinary” thing he learned from them. 

David Weil certainly isn’t a novice when it comes to the TV industry, as he’s served as showrunner on a number of notable shows. Invasion, Solos and Hunters are among his credits. However, Citadel arguably has the greatest scope of any series he’s tackled up to this point. So he probably didn’t mind having the Russo Brothers' support. At least, that’s the feeling he seemed to convey when we spoke during the junket for the upcoming series. When asked about what he’s taken away from his time collaborating with the two siblings, Weil mentioned a couple of vital points. However, an audience-related lesson truly stuck with him:

It goes without saying that the Russo Brothers have their fair share of experience with large-scale productions. These are, after all, the two men who helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame – three of the biggest installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And since their stint with the MCU ended in 2019, they’ve been working on birthing other IPs, including Netflix’s Extraction and The Gray Man. Thus far, their work has drawn plenty of eyes (and generated oodles of cash). So it’s fair to say that at this point, the pair have a solid sense of what attracts viewers and, as their colleague stated, that was invaluable for this latest endeavor. 

Though Citadel isn’t the first high-profile release for the streaming-savvy Russos, and it’s shaping up to be their priciest. The show has a reported budget of about $200 million, which is greatly due to massive reshoots. Not only that, but a number of international spinoffs have also been in development. So the duo, David Weil and their collaborators have had plenty of work to do. Weil doesn’t seem to have minded it, however. During our interview, he went on to discuss the famous brothers and his other colleagues when reflecting on his favorite behind-the-scenes memories: 

The show centers on former Citadel operative Mason Kane (Richard Madden), who seeks to piece together his past several years after being in an accident. To do so, he embarks on a dangerous journey that reunites him with old allies like Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) as well as a few familiar foes. While the series has yet to premiere, reports suggest that Amazon has already handed it a renewal. That would theoretically ensure that David Weil will get to keep working with Joe and Anthony Russo and soak up more of their knowledge.

But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s just make sure we have our Prime Video subscriptions handy so that we can stream Citadel when it premieres on April 28. You can also read up on the best Amazon Prime original shows to binge watch right now.

While The Russo Brothers are synonymous with their outstanding work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve been keeping busy with a number of projects since the release of Avengers: Endgame. One way is through the burgeoning streaming franchise Extraction starring Chris Hemsworth. While Extraction 2 will be here soon for those with a Netflix subscription, fans are already wondering about a threequel. But will Extraction 3 happen on Netflix? Here’s the last from the Brothers. 

Both Extraction movies were directed by Sam Hargrove, with Joe Russo writing the screenplay and both he and Anthony also producers. The trailer for Extraction 2 shows how the franchise’s action is going to be even crazier than its predecessor. When the Russo Brothers were asked by Collider about the possibility of another sequel, Joe Russo responded with:

Well, that certainly sounds hopeful. While Joe Russo doesn’t want to count his Extraction-related chickens before they hatch, it sounds like he can see a future where a threequel is ordered by Netflix. Luckily we won’t have to wait too long before the first sequel is available for streaming audiences.

Joe Russo’s comments help to peel back the curtain on what it’s like working on the Extraction franchise, and what’s going to come when the first sequel is finally upon us. It seems like Extraction 2 is going to have plenty of narrative threads to pull from for a possible third flick. Let’s just hope that the sequel is as wildly successful as its predecessor, which broke records at Netflix.

Much of the contents of Extraction 2 are being kept under wraps, but the upcoming streaming blockbuster will feature the return of Chris Hemsworth’s hero Tyler Rake, who was at the center of the hardest action scenes of his career. He’ll once again have another action packed mission to extract a target from a dangerous situation, which will bring him to new snowy settings and will include a wild prison break scene.

The ending of Extraction seemingly saw Tyler Rake sacrifice himself to save Ovi, being shot before apparently drowning. But the movie’s coda hinted that Chris Hemworth’s badass character had survived, and that was confirmed once the sequel was ordered. We’ll just have to wait and see how much those injuries affect him, and if we get to see any mention of how Ovi is doing nowadays.

Extraction 2 will arrive on Netflix June 16th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

With the year coming to a close, we find ourselves looking at all the big releases on the horizon, films like the Russo Brothers’ The Electric State. The upcoming book-to-screen adaptation starring Millie Bobby Brown and Christ Pratt sounds like it could be one of the biggest releases on the 2025 movie schedule, and after reading everything we know about the long-in-the-works project, you’ll hopefully understand why.

If this is the first you’re hearing about the star-studded sci-fi action flick about a woman trying to find her missing brother in an unforgiving landscape, don’t worry, because we know quite a bit about the project right now. So, stick around and come with us as we break down everything we know about The Electric State and why it could become one of the best Movies on Netflix in the very near future.

What Is The Release Date For The Electric State?

Though Netflix has yet to reveal the exact release date for The Electric State, the streamer has announced that the Russo Brother’s upcoming sci-fi movie will premiere at some point in 2025. That being said, we should know more about the exact release date, or at least the window, closer to the new year when the streamer starts to lay out its big plans for the next 12 months. 

The Electric State Cast

Millie Bobby Brown has essentially become Netflix’s MVP over the past decade since making her big break as Eleven on Stranger Things, and she hasn’t really slowed down since. Now she’s preparing to anchor one of the biggest upcoming Netflix movies in quite some time. Here’s everyone who’ll be appearing alongside her in the Electric State cast.

Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle

Millie Bobby Brown will be taking on the role of Michelle in The Electric State, a young woman desperately searching for her missing younger brother. This could be one of two massive Netflix projects for Brown in 2025, as the upcoming Stranger Things Season 5 will reportedly finally premiere at some point next year.

Chris Pratt as Keats

According to Vanity Fair, Chris Pratt, who worked with the Russos on the third and fourth Avengers movies, will be taking on the role of Keats, an eccentric drifter who joins Michelle on her journey. Between The Electric State, the second season of The Terminal list, Mercy, and Way of the Warrior Kid, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World alum has a lot on his plate.

Ke Huy Quan as Dr. Amherst

Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan will show up in The Electric State as Dr. Amherst, according to GamesRadar. The Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Everything Everywhere All at Once actor is also set to appear in With Love and Zootopia 2.

Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci will also be appearing in The Electric State, though his role has not yet been revealed. Tucci, best known for movies like Big Night, Spotlight, and The Devil Wears Prada, most recently appeared in Edward Berger’s Conclave.

Giancarlo Esposito

Giancarlo Esposito is another talented actor set to appear in The Electric State, though we’re not sure who the Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian actor will be playing. Esposito is also set to appear in the long-awaited Captain America: Brave New World.

Woody Norman

Woody Norman, who most recently appeared in The Spaceman, is set to appear in an undisclosed role in The Electric State. Norman’s other credits include The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Poldark, and the 2019 TV adaptation of The War of the Worlds

Jason Alexander

The Electric State will also feature a large voice cast, which includes Seinfeld star Jason Alexander. No stranger to voice work, Alexander has appeared in animated films like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Leo over the years.

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson will also be lending his voice to one of the Electric State’s many robots. Harrelson, best known for roles on shows like True Detective and movies like White Men Can’t Jump, is also set to reprise his role as Merritt McKinney in Now You See Me 3 in 2025.

Anthony Mackie

Captain America himself will be appearing in The Electric State, as Anthony Mackie is set to voice one of the many robots featured in the Netflix original film. Mackie, who will lead Captain America: Brave New World in early 2025, is also set to show up in Twisted Metal Season 2 at some point in the near future.

Brian Cox

Brian Cox will be lending his voice to one of the film’s animated characters, but we don’t know which one quite yet. The Succession star, whose voice can be heard in the McDonald’s commercials since 2020, is also set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming animated holiday movie, That Christmas in late 2024.

Jenny Slate

And then there is Jenny Slate, who’s also set to voice one of the animated robots in The Electric State. Slate, who famously voiced the titular seashell in Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, is no stranger to animated films as she’s also appeared in Despicable Me 3, Zootopia, and The Secret Life of Pets, to name a few.

What Is The Electric State About?

Upon announcing that Netflix had landed the streaming rights for The Electric State in June 2022, Deadline described the movie as one that will follow an orphaned teenager named Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown) as she traverses the American West in a retro-futuristic past in hopes of finding her long-lost younger brother. But she won’t be alone on this perilous journey through a vast wasteland, as Michelle will be joined by a “sweet but mysterious” robot and a drifter she meets along the way.

When Can We Expect The Electric State Trailer?

Netflix unleashed some great first-look images featuring Mr. Peanut in October 2024, but we have yet to see a proper trailer for The Electric State. So, when can we expect to see some footage? Well, with 2025 quickly approaching, it should be sooner rather than later before Netflix gives us a glimpse into the world of the latest Russo Brothers film. Maybe the streamer will put out a hype video for its 2025 movies before the end of 2024.

The Movie Is Based On Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 Graphic Novel Of The Same Name

Netflix has had a pretty decent track record with comic book adaptations, and the popular streaming service will look to keep that trend going with The Electric State, which is based on Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 graphic novel of the same name. When announcing the movie back in 2020, Deadline described the book as a “re-imagined low-tech apocalyptic mid-'90s vision of the American West” that featured “stunning visual artwork.”

The Electric State Will Be The Sixth Collaboration Between The Russo Brothers And Screenwriters Christopher Markus And Stephen McFeely

Including the yet-to-be-released The Electric State, The Russo Brothers have teamed up with the screenwriting team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely a total of six times over the course of the past decade. Since working together on Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014, they've created some of the best moments in the MCU, which translated into continued box office success in which each movie made more than the one before. Even after the Russos finished their work with the MCU, the foursome stuck together, crafting the 2022 Netflix action spectacle, The Gray Man.

The Russo Brothers and McFeely will also team up again in the next few years for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars,  which will feature Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. However, Markus is not working on those projects, for now anyway.

Production On The Electric State Wrapped In February 2023

Though we don’t know exactly when The Electric State will land on Netflix, the movie has wrapped production on physical photography. In February 2023, the ABGO Films Instagram account shared a series of images showing the Russo Brothers and other members of the production team celebrating the conclusion of shooting along with the final clapperboard of the shoot.

There is still an undisclosed amount of post-production work to be completed in the months to come, so don’t count on seeing a trailer for The Electric State for quite some time.

What Is The Electric State Rated?

It should come as no surprise, but The Electric State will have a PG-13 rating upon release. According to Filmratings.com, the MPA gave the upcoming Russo Brothers movie the rating based on violence, language, and “thematic material,” but didn’t disclose exactly what that meant.

Millie Bobby Brown Has Described The Electric State As ‘A Live-Action WALL-E’

If you’re looking for even more reasons to be excited about The Electric State, comments made by Millie Bobby Brown in an interview with CinemaBlend in March 2024 will do the trick. During a chat with Sean O’Connell prior to the release of Damsel, Brown compared the dystopian sci-fi flick to one of the best Pixar movies, saying:

Judging by what we’ve read of the movie’s tone and the aesthetic quality of its visuals, this comparison is on point. Hopefully, this also means The Electric State will have an emotional story that resonates with audiences.

Expect to hear more about The Electric State in the coming weeks and months, especially when it comes to the first trailer. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie schedule, which includes some titles that can only be watched with a Netflix subscription. 

"You can't please everyone." It's a common aphorism and a true one – just ask any director of any popular movie. While you can make something that the vast majority of people enjoy, there are always going to be critics and dissenters who express dissatisfaction. In the case of Avengers: Endgame, the second highest grossing film of all time, one common complaint registered by co-director Joe Russo is in regard to the death of Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow... but he has a special message for those who are still upset about the hero's fate: he's playing the world's smallest violin.

Earlier this month, Russo used the TikTok account of his production company, AGBO Films, to record a message for Marvel fans who remain unhappy that Black Widow sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame. Three-and-a-half years after the blockbuster's release, the filmmaker appears done with offering any kind of coddling responses. A banner reads "I'll never forgive you for k!ll!ng Natasha!" and he sports a sarcastic frown while rubbing his middle and index fingers against his thumb. You can watch the video below:

That's pretty blunt – the message further driven home with the use of Eminem's "Stan" as a soundtrack – but understandable at this point. One can imagine that Joe Russo registers comments akin to the one he puts in quotes every day (an unfortunate aspect of living in the age of social media), and it's reasonable that he might reach a breaking point tolerating it. 

He, co-director Anthony Russo, and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely made what they feel was a proper creative choice with Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame – the character sacrificing herself in aid of the titular team's mission – and he evidently doesn't really care at this point if you're not a fan of that call. More specifically, his sympathy for your distress about it can be scored with an inaudible, invisible stringed instrument.

Also, if your curiosity is piqued by the mention of "raw footage" made in the caption, the AGBO account provided the video in a follow-up post – which sees Russo silently directing himself and adjusting both his expression and finger-rubbing:

For those who can forgive Joe Russo for Black Widow's fate in the 2019 blockbuster, all of the collaborations between the Russo brothers and Scarlett Johansson can presently be watched with a Disney+ subscription – the titles including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. And if you just can't get over Natasha's death in the Infinity Saga capstone film, you can always enjoy the character's Phase 4 solo film, which is available on the same streaming service. 

We'll have to wait and see if Scarlett Johansson ever does come back to the MCU, but for now you can keep track of everything happening with the franchise with our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides. You can also see where all of the hero's big screen appearances land in our ranking of every Marvel movie.

Between the Extraction franchise and budding universe for The Gray Man, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have their hands full with plenty of Netflix productions. And their work with the entertainment company is far from done. The sibling filmmaking duo has already lined up another movie with the streamer in the form of upcoming movie The Electric State. This is primed to be a high-profile motion picture and, unsurprisingly, an all-star cast that includes Hollywood heavy-hitters like Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt has been assembled.

The Electric State was announced by the Russo Brothers back in 2017 and is based on Simon Stålenhag’s graphic novel of the same name. The book was adapted for the screen by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who worked with the directors on Marvel films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame.

The movie is set during the 1990s of an alternate United States, in which a civil war has broken out between humans and robots. It tells the story of a young woman who receives a robot from her brother and, ultimately, the heroine and her machine embark on a journey to find her sibling. An eclectic assortment of actors are helping to bring this story to life and, for your convenience, we’ve listed them here.

Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown is set to play the lead character, Michelle, who’ll face dangers in an attempt to find her brother. Though she's not quite 21 yet, the fan-favorite star has been acting for nearly a decade now. However, she truly broke through in 2016 through her Emmy-nominated role as Eleven in Netflix’s highly popular sci-fi series Stranger Things. She’s since parlayed that notoriety into a budding film career and has already starred in the MonsterVerse movies Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. Brown also serves as the stars in and produces the Enola Holmes film franchise, in which she plays the titular fourth wall-breaking sleuth. She's also in the fantasy flick Damsel. One would expect the star to bring her signature wit and charm to this latest role.

Chris Pratt

Playing the role of Keats is Chris Pratt. The character is described as a smuggler that Michelle meets during her travels. Many fans likely still recognize Pratt for his role as Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation, and others may even remember him for his role on Everwood. He’s come a long way since then, though. In the early days of his film career, the star took on supporting roles in films like Wanted, Zero Dark Thirty and Her. It was in 2013, however, that he emerged as a leading man, thanks to his role as Peter Quill/Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy. From there, he’s starred in the Jurassic World franchise, The Lego Movie and its sequel, The Magnificent Seven and The Tomorrow War, just to name a few. He also voiced Nintendo's beloved, mustachioed plumber in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and voices the lead role in The Garfield Movie.

Giancarlo Esposito

Any film or TV production would be lucky to have Giancarlo Esposito as a member of its cast. It would probably surprise no one to hear that the actor is set to voice a villainous drone known as Marshall. To say that Esposito has played a plethora of characters in his time would be an understatement. The seasoned performer is famous for his roles in classic Spike Lee films like School Daze and Do the Right Thing and also gained recognition for his roles in The Usual Suspects, Waiting to Exhale, Ali and much more. But his most famous character, however, is arguably drug kingpin Gustavo “Gus” Fring, who he played on Breaking Bad and its spinoff prequel series, Better Call Saul. Right now, Esposito also starred (as villainous characters) on Star Wars series The Mandalorian and superhero show The Boys.

Anthony Mackie

For this cinematic endeavor, Joe and Anthony Russo will be reteaming with Anthony Mackie, who they worked with on the Captain America and Avengers films. The actor has been tapped to voice a sentient robot, who’s described as an ally to Chris Pratt’s character. Mackie has been a Hollywood actor for quite some time, as he made his acting debut as “Papa Doc” in the 2002 drama film 8 Mile. The A-lister has also starred in acclaimed films like Half Nelson, Million Dollar Baby and The Hurt Locker. In 2014, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the role of Sam Wilson/The Falcon, who took on the mantle of Captain America in 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Mackie will reprise that role in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World. On the small screen, he's also the lead of the Twisted Metal series.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton has collaborated with the Russos before, as he starred in The Gray Man. In that film, he played a veteran CIA agent and, for this upcoming sci-fi production, he’ll voice a key figure in the civil war, who just happens to be a robot. Thornton, like many of his co-stars, has a resume that speaks for itself. His body of work includes Sling Blade (which won him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay), One False Move and Armageddon. Of course, who could forget his turns in Friday Night Lights, The Alamo and Monster’s Ball. He’s an elder statesman within this ensemble and can certainly bring a level of gravitas.

Stanley Tucci

Speaking over capable veterans, Stanley Tucci also stars in the movie, and his role has yet to be revealed. The always-delightful actor has an extensive filmography that’s stuffed to the brim with notable big-screen productions. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, the actor appeared in Prizzi’s Honor, A Midsummer’s Night Dream among other films. And by the 2000s, Tucci landed roles in Road to Perdition, The Terminal, The Devil Wears Prada and The Lovely Bones, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The viral sex symbol’s visibility has expanded into blockbuster fare over the past decade, such as Captain America: The First Avenger, the Hunger Games franchise and some Transformers films. Though he hasn’t forgotten his dramatic or comedic roots as evidenced by Easy A, Burlesque and Spotlight. He's also starred on the Russo brother-produced Amazon show Citadel, which called upon him to perform a brutal scene.

Ke Huy Quan

Fresh off his Oscar-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once, Ke Huy Quan is joining the Russos for their next cinematic outing. Quan is said to be playing a doctor that Millie Bobby Brown’s character must locate. And interestingly enough, the actor replaced Michelle Yeoh, his co-star from the aforementioned movie, in the role, as she dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Quan is widely loved by so many, who remember him for his iconic roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies. Though he’d star in a few movies like Breathing Fire and Encino Man in the years that immediately followed, Quan was forced to step away from acting due to a lack of opportunities. After spending years as a successful stunt choreographer, he began to act again a couple of years ago, starting with Finding ʻOhana. As mentioned, he gave a strong turn in Daniels' multidimensional dramedy and played a role in Disney+’s American Born Chinese, and Quan is also starred in Loki Season 2 and has the action film With Love.

Jenny Slate

Jenny Slate makes for another strong addition to this cast. The star will reportedly lend her voice to a CGI character, who I’d wager is a robot of sorts. Slate is a student of comedy, who possesses a strong improv background, and that arguably helped her land a spot in Saturday Night Live’s Season 35 cast. After working on the show for one season, she went on to star in other high-profile shows, from Parks and Recreation and Kroll Show to House of Lies and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She’s also been featured in Gifted, Venom, I Want You Back and other movies. Slate has a particularly strong reputation in the realm of voice acting through Bob’s Burgers, Big Mouth, Zootopia, The Lego Batman Movie, and so much more. She absolutely broke viewers’ hearts in 2022 with her performance as the titular character in Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and will lend her voice to The Ark and the Aardvark.

Jason Alexander

Another intriguing pick-up for the film is veteran actor and comedian Jason Alexander, who’s been cast in an undisclosed role. A widely beloved star, Alexander began his career as a stage performer before making the jump to TV. It was in that medium that he’d find his signature role, that of the bumbling, but well-meaning, George Costanza on Seinfeld. Alexander has appeared on countless shows in the years since the hit NBC sitcom ended. Curb Your Enthusiasm, Star Trek: Voyager, Two and a Half Men and The Orville are just a few of his credits. In terms of film, he’s held roles in flicks like Pretty Woman, Coneheads and Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Woody Norman

Amid the flurry of Hollywood veterans, Electric State will also showcase some up-and-coming talent in the form of Woody Norman. The 13-year-old English actor is set to play the younger brother of Millie Bobby Brown’s character. Though he hasn’t been in the industry as long as his peers, Norman does have some respectable credentials. When it comes to TV, he’s appeared on Starz's The White Princess and the BBC’s Poldark along with a few other programs. He truly broke out in 2021 as a result of his role in the Joaquin Phoenix-led drama C’mon C’mon. He also played a supporting role in the 2023 horror flick The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Norman’s going to need to bring it for the Russos’ sci-fi film, as his character is definitely crucial to the plot.

 Martin Klebba 

Like many of his co-stars, Martin Klebb has certainly been around the block in Hollywood. He’s done stunt work on a myriad of films from Van Helsing and Evan Almighty to Zombieland and Hancock. He even served as a mo-cap performer on 2015’s Jurassic World. However, moviegoers probably know him best for playing Marty in four of the five Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He’s not done with the House of Mouse, either, as he’s also set to appear as Grumpy in the upcoming Snow White film. While his role in the Russos’ sci-fi film is currently unknown, I have no doubt Klebb will put in a solid effort as per usual.

Brian Cox

So why don’t we end this list with one more veteran: Brian Cox. The name by itself is pretty intimidating. Reports point to the celebrated actor, like some of his co-stars, is said to be voicing a CGI character. Where to even begin with Cox’s career? He’s an acclaimed stage veteran, who was praised for his turn in King Lear. His filmography spans various genres and includes movies like The Long Kiss Goodnight, Rushmore, X-Men 2, Zodiac, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Churchill. (Hold up, I need to catch my breath.) More recently, he’s captivated audiences through his Emmy-nominated performance as the cold and calculating Logan Roy on HBO’s Succession. Given his body of work, I could see Cox playing a villain in the Russos’ film, but that may not end up being the case. Whatever the case, let’s hope it’s a role he can sink his teeth into.

The Electric State debuts on March 14 amid the 2025 movie schedule and, if you're aiming to check it out, be sure you have an active Netflix subscription.

We’ve seen the world of movies transform in a major way in just the last few years. Even before the global pandemic forced the closure of movie theaters we saw streaming content growing at a significant rate, and while theaters are clearly not dead, look at the box office of Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick if you doubt that, the future could be something very different than what came before. It’s anybody’s guess what the future really looks like, but Joe Russo think it will still involve Tom Cruise, in bot form.

In a recent profile in Variety it’s mentioned that the Russo Brothers production company, AGBO, has a major shareholder in the form of South Korean gaming company Nexon. The partnership is expected to lead to some interesting combinations of film and games, but Joe Russo suggests the future could be something even more interactive, like a Tom Cruise bot that viewers can actually talk with. Russo envisions it this way…

There has certainly been an interest in seeing media become more interactive in the last few years, We've seen Netflix use its platform for projects that both games and movies. This sort of idea, while it seems a long way off, certainly feels like something that we could see. 

All the individual pieces of the tech required to do this essentially exist. They simply need to be put together, and suitably advanced, to be able to allow you to talk to Tom Cruise about the movie he made while also watching the movie. Imagine hearing the man himself talk about the training the team did in Top Gun: Maverick while watching those scenes.

The theatrical film environment has always remained popular because regardless of what technological innovations come along, the theatrical experience is something that most people can’t experience elsewhere. The fact is that this level of interaction would not be possible in a theatrical environment and would need to be done at home or in some other place. Perhaps if something like this really does come along we could actually see the movie theater industry collapse. 

We’d already seen studios shifting production to making fewer, but bigger projects that focus on the theatrical experience, and while we’re certainly seeing now that theaters are not dead, audiences' relationship with them has certainly changed. A post movie theater future seemed like a near impossibility only a couple years ago. Today that’s not really the case. Many people have found that they like watching movies at home rather than n the theater, and if technology changes only make that experience more appealing, perhaps we really could see theaters fade away. 

After dedicating many years and four movies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Joe and Anthony Russo have given a semi-straight answer as to if they’d come back to work on upcoming Marvel projects. Since the incredible success of their last MCU movie Avengers: Endgame, the directors have gone on to other massive projects. However, the question of if they’ll ever come back to the MCU is always looming.

The brothers were recently interviewed by Variety to discuss their studio AGBO, and all their upcoming projects. During the interview, they were asked if they’d return to Marvel, and Joe Russo responded with: 

That seems fair, the directors and producers have a lot on their plates in the coming years. Since Avengers: Endgame, the pair have directed Cherry and The Gray Man, and are working on a TV series and another film. On top of directing, they have also been producing. They had a producer credit on the 2022 movie schedule hit Everything Everywhere All At Once earlier this year, and have over ten projects in development according to IMDb where they're listed as producers. So, waiting until 2030 to direct another Marvel movie makes sense logistically. I’d also assume they are taxing productions to work on because of how massive they are, so that also could factor into why the brothers have decided to step back from the MCU for a bit. 

By watching the Marvel movies in order, you can see that the Russo brothers have been the guys behind some of the most successful and acclaimed MCU movies. The duo began their tenure at Marvel with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, they then went on to helm Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. Making four massive movies has to take it out of the people running the show, and I’d imagine it can be creatively draining working on similar projects all the time. 

It’s important to note that Marvel Studios has a tendency to bring back its directors. For example, Ryan Coogler helmed both Black Panther movies, Jon Watts led the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy, and Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the first Shang-Chi, has been tapped to direct its sequel and Avengers: Kang Dynasty, and there are many more. So, it makes sense why they’d want to keep the Russos around for more Avengers movies. It doesn't sound like the Russos have completely ruled it out, we’ll just have to wait a while before we see another Russo-led Marvel film. 

While it won’t be with Marvel Studios, there are a lot of projects to look forward to from the brothers. They have projects that will appear on both the 2022 and 2023 movie schedules, and it’s been announced that Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown will star in one of their Netflix original movies. So, there is still a lot to look forward to from the directing duo, and maybe in ten years or so, that could include another Marvel project. 

It's hard to believe it's been three years since No Time To Die became Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond. It's even harder to believe the "next James Bond" debate hasn't been settled yet, as many names have appeared on the list for Bond 26 movie potentials over the last several years. A-listers like Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender have been duking it out with rising stars in regards to who could play the mysterious spy. Of course, many in the industry have opinions. Even Marvel directors Joe and Anthony Russo have weighed in on who should play James Bond now: Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page. 

The Russo Brothers are back on board for some of Marvel's major upcoming projects, but they've worked with some big names in the past too, including Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling and, yes, Regé-Jean Page. So when Joe Russo was asked what's next for Bond, he said this about the actor potentially following in Daniel Craig’s footsteps:

That's one Russo in Page’s corner. Playing villainous CIA official Denny Carmichael on the Netflix schedule may not be the same sort of gig, but it did allow viewers to see how good the 34-year-old actor would be as a covert agent. Now, Regé-Jean Page didn’t just impress audiences and one Russo, as his frequent co-director Anthony Russo also sang his praises as a performer to Radio Times:

It appeared the consensus here is the Dungeons and Dragons star may just be the best candidate to play 007 after Daniel Craig. Regé-Jean Page has the charisma and suaveness to pull off the role as seen in projects like Sylvie’s Love and the aforementioned Netflix action thriller. 

Though it's worth pointing out other famous director David Leitch was only recently touting Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a prime pick. 

While the Russo brothers were vouching for The Gray Man, Regé-Jean Page is not currently in the 007 lead after getting pushed out of the lead to play the international spy.  Former hopeful Henry Cavill and other surprising actors have surged in recent months.  Plus, there’s The Batman’s Robert Pattinson to consider, who was original Bond 25 director Danny Boyle’s. We're getting close to when mega producer Barbara Broccoli said Bond 26 would be coming and there's no word yet on what's going to happen, but we will be sure to keep you posted as soon as an announcement is made. 

Even if it doesn't happen, there's plenty of Regé-Jean Page to be viewed with a Netflix subscription)

Ever since its announcement, Anthony and Joe Russo’s The Gray Man has been hotly anticipated. Sporting one of the largest budgets ever for a Netflix movie, a star studded cast that features Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, and some massive Marvel Cinematic Universe firepower behind the camera, the deck on this project is firmly stacked. The stakes are pretty high when it comes to this adaptation of author Mark Greaney’s initial entry to the Gray Man series – which presents the question of whether or not this gigantic effort was worth the risk. 

Simply put, the Russo brothers have committed to a movie so full of action and destruction that it feels like they’re gleefully destroying a very expensive LEGO set before your very eyes. Yes, The Gray Man is as much fun as that description implies. 

Following the exploits of ex-con turned covert operative Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), The Gray Man sees the man known as Sierra Six entering a bit of hot water in his professional life. After a high profile hit forces Court to start questioning his very profession, some sensitive information in his possession turns the loyal soldier into a wanted man. Court is chased by the gleefully sadistic Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), and there’s no lengths his handlers will forego to make sure their secrets are protected. Unfortunately for them, Court’s resolve is equal to, if not greater than those efforts. 

Fans of espionage thrillers should easily love The Gray Man, as the film revels in familiar genre shorthand to fill in its backstory.

With non-stop action, quick witted scripting, and a very happy Chris Evans playing the villain to Ryan Gosling’s hero, The Gray Man pulls no punches. Stopping for only brief moments to let its characters patch up and plan their next moves, the movie is an action-adventure feature filled to the brim. As a result, your mileage may vary depending on your tastes in espionage thrillers, as a lot of staples of the genre are used to fill in the backstory. 

You are going to hear a lot of familiar phrases that spy thrillers like The Bourne Identity or Mission: Impossible have made hallmarks in the spy movie landscape. Things are definitely “above your paygrade,” and Court Gentry has indeed been “trained to be a ghost.” Rather than lazily use these lines as a thin thread to tie together this particular universe, writers Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely use those old chestnuts to give The Gray Man a texture that’s firm but familiar. 

The Russo brothers’ time spent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to have  given them a great deal of experience in making familiar storylines new again. While nothing in The Gray Man's overall plot is particularly groundbreaking, it's certainly respected and used properly to set up and pay off any action that results. A massive set-piece in Vienna is the exemplary example of such a notion, as Ryan Gosling's sarcastic comedic sensibilities shine in a moment as simple as trying to retrieve a handgun while being pinned down by every available mercenary in the area. 

Even in an all-star cast fully committed to this film’s reality, Chris Evans almost steals the entire movie.

It certainly helps when you can have classic spy caper lines like those previously mentioned delivered with the right amount of self-aware conviction. The Gray Man’s cast is totally on board for that sort of thing, as hearing actors like Regé-Jean Page, Chris Evans, Alfre Woodard, and Billy Bob Thornton using that language helps make it all fresh and effective. Of course, it also helps that there’s a heaping dose of added charm that seals the deal in each of those cases.

Every member of The Gray Man’s cast holds their own, without exception. A perfect example of this working like a charm is a brief interlude that fills in the relationship between Ryan Gosling’s Court Gentry and Claire Fitzroy (Julia Butters), the niece of his mentor (played by Billy Bob Thornton). Gosling and Butters trade barbs from the first time they meet on-screen, and it never feels forced or precocious. For those that loved Julia Butters’ big debut in Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood, the role of Claire only further cashes in on her impressive abilities. 

However, even with a murderer’s row of talent in The Gray Man, it's Chris Evans that nearly steals the whole film. Lloyd Hansen is a fantastically villainous foil to Court Gentry, and Evans digs into this enterprise with a knife and fork in hand. Every threat, every put down, and every angry outburst is a treat to behold. If Kevin Kline’s comedic hitman from A Fish Called Wanda had a more menacing brother who actually did work for the clandestine services, it’d be Chris Evans’ Lloyd.

The Russo Brothers have gone all out in adapting The Gray Man as a pure cinematic action spectacle worthy of the potential franchise it teases.

The Gray Man wastes none of the time or resources it’s given when it comes to entertaining its audience. Almost from the word go, Henry Jackman’s propulsive score sets the tone, while cinematographer Stephen F. Windon’s keen eye captures the colorful and destructive magic brilliantly. Literally using a set piece that involves two men fighting amid an ongoing fireworks show as its first major thrill, the Russos clearly know what they’re doing. 

What starts out as feeling like a ridiculous and over the top film turns into a sustained environment that proves its larger than life approach is deliberate. Once you settle into what The Gray Man is doing, the movie takes off like one of the many rockets Ana de Armas gets to fire off while teaming with Ryan Gosling in action. Winding up with a hell of a climax, and the promise of further adventures that’s almost a standard feature for a project like this, you’ll actually want to see what happens next in the world of Ryan Gosling’s slick spy hero. 

Properly executed action packed spectacles are hard to come by, as without the proper pacing or backstory everything tends to ring a bit hollow. While The Gray Man is relentlessly paced, it knows when to provide just enough answers to keep the stakes relatable. Put together like an efficient, crowd pleasing machine, it’s a film that is exacting in its entertainment. This is an adventure built of speed, snark, and ‘staches, delivering on each of those fronts with precision and maximum thrills. 

If you can get to a theater to see The Gray Man before it arrives on Netflix, it’s not only recommended, but I would consider it absolutely necessary. Just when you think this movie can't go bigger, it calls that bet and surpasses what you thought was coming next. All the while it never loses steam or step in the process. While a wild ride such as this will play well enough at home, the film in question is such a throwback to the best action-adventures of the past that it really belongs on the largest screen possible.

In the past, we’ve seen Chris Evans clean shaven, sporting a goatee, and going a full beard in various movies, but for the upcoming thriller The Gray Man, the actor is sporting a noticeably different kind of facial hair look. Playing the sociopathic Lloyd in the globe-trotting feature, he is featured with a classic villain look: a mustache. It’s unquestionably a standout feature of the character’s aesthetic, and according to Anthony and Joe Russo, it was Evans’ call to implement it as part of Lloyd’s look.

I interviewed the sibling directors last month at the AGBO Productions office in Downtown Los Angeles, and during a nice long chat about their work on The Gray Man we spent a good amount of time talking about Chris Evans’ performers. I felt compelled to ask the Russos about the mustache, given that it’s not exactly the most common style choice in the 21st century, and Anthony Russo explained not only that it was Evans call to wear that facial hair, but that it was grown to match a specific aesthetic that the actor and the filmmakers were going for with the character:

In The Gray Man, Chris Evans’ Lloyd is what could be called a functioning lunatic who is tasked by the CIA to organize a manhunt searching for Court Gentry a.k.a. Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling), a black ops mercenary who has come in possession of evidence that is a sincere threat to a whole lot of people.

Playing an unhinged killer, Chris Evans was given a chance to really cut loose in the role and have fun with villainy – particularly because he had spent the last decade-plus playing Captain America (the pinnacle of moral rectitude). Joe Russo explained how it was that the sibling filmmakers reunited with the actor after Avengers: Endgame, noting that Evans had told them about a desire to branch out and do very different kinds of roles following his tenure with Marvel:

Continuing, Joe Russo added that Lloyd is (strange as it may sound) a bit closer to Chris Evans in personality than Captain America is – not when it comes to being out of his mind, but just in terms of energy and flash. Once the idea of having Evans play the part came together, that was something of which the filmmakers wanted to take advantage. Said Joe Russo,

Chris Evans’ Lloyd is about as far away from Captain America on the moral spectrum as you can get, and while he never actually twirls his mustache in The Gray Man, that’s 100 percent the energy the character gives of – making the upper lip accessory quite apt.

Based on the book of the same name by Mark Greaney, The Gray Man sports an outrageously talented cast including Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Billy Bob Thornton, and Ana de Armas, and it’s coming very soon. The movie will be getting a limited theatrical release starting on July 15, and then after that you should be sure to make to have a Netflix subscription because the globe-trotting action feature will be online starting July 22.

Learn more about The Gray Man with our quick things guide, and check out our 2022 Netflix Release Movie Schedule to discover more films that are on the way from the streaming service in the coming months.

The streaming wars have been ongoing for years, with services like Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix producing a ton of original movie content. The latter streamer has been leading the charge, and has kickstarted a few original franchises for subscribers. Case in point: 2020’s Extraction, which featured truy insane action sequences. And writer/producer Joe Russo is teasing how Extraction 2 will be different from Chris Hemsworth’s first movie.

The Russo Brothers collectively wrote and produced the first Extraction movie, which reunited them with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame actor Chris Hemsworth. A sequel was quickly ordered by Netflix, after it broke streaming records for the service. Extraction 2 is already in the can, and screenwriter Joe Russo recently spoke to how it’ll be unique from its predecessor, saying:

Well, color me intrigued. It looks like Extraction 2 will paint lots of different colors than the first movie, while also continuing the action-packed story of Chris Hemsworth’s protagonist Tyler Rake. And it seems like the change in physical setting is going to help to make the sophomore installment of the burgeoning franchise unique from the first Netflix flick.

Aside from taking place in a different physical location, Joe Russo also vaguely teased how Extraction 2 will have a new tone when compared to the original. It should be interesting to see how/why this change occurs. But since audiences already know the game and players including Chris Hemsworth’s hero, Joe Russo and director Sam Hargrave should be able to make bold narrative choices without worrying about whether the audience is going to be invested or not.

Not much is known about the mysterious contents of Extraction 2, but Netflix offered fans a crumb via the first thrilling teaser which you can see above. The debut footage confirmed that Chris Hemsworth’s character Tyler Rake did indeed survive the events of the first movie, despite being presumed dead following the final conflict. This was hinted at in the final moments of the original action flick, when we seemingly saw him looking after Ovi from afar. We’ll have to see if that young character ends up factoring into the action of the sequel.

Extraction 2 currently doesn’t have a release date, but the movie wrapped principal photography. Chris Hemsworth can be seen in Thor: Love and Thunder on July 8th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo are sticking around the streaming realm! After delivering the Tom Holland-led Cherry to Apple TV+ subscribers, the duo turned their attention to The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. We’re less than a month away from what’s reportedly the most expensive Netflix movie being released on the platform, but the Russos have already lined up another Netflix exclusive movie, and Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown is involved.

Netflix has officially closed a deal with Joe and Anthony Russo to house their upcoming movie The Electric State. The movie stars Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven on Stranger Things, as an orphaned teenager living in a retro-futuristic past who travels across the American West searching for her younger brother with a sweet, but mysterious robot and an eccentric drifter. THR shared in its report on the big news that Chris Pratt, who the Russos directed in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, is in talks to join Brown in The Electric State, which is based on a 2018 illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag.

The film adaptation of The Electric State was revealed to the public back in December 2020, but at the time, the plan was for Universal Pictures to release the movie. Clearly something changed, because over a year and a half later, now The Electric State has been set up comfortably at Netflix. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who previously collaborated with the Russos on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, wrote the script, and production is set to begin this fall.

In addition to their directorial work on The Gray Man and the upcoming The Electric State, the Russos also have ties to Netflix through the Extraction movies, with both Joe and Anthony Russo producing them, and the former writing the scripts. As for Millie Bobby Brown, along with her integral role on Stranger Things, she also played Enola Holmes’ title character in 2020, and is reprising the role later this year in, you guessed it, Enola Holmes 2. So The Electric State is keeping a good thing going with this talent.

As far as the near future goes, Millie Bobby Brown will be back as Eleven in Stranger Things Season 4 Vol. 2, a.k.a. the season’s final, super-sized episodes. Looking to The Gray Man dropping in late July, the Russo Bros’ next movie stars Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry, a CIA operative who’s forced to go on the run after learning dark secrets about the agency, with Chris Evans’ Lloyd Hansen leading the manhunt against him. Assuming The Electric State does indeed start rolling cameras in the fall, fingers crossed we learn soon if Chris Pratt has finalized a deal to star opposite Brown, along with any other major casting additions.

CinemaBlend will pass along any major updates on The Electric State’s development. Until then, check out what Netflix will deliver in the latter half of the year with our 2022 Netflix Movie schedule.

For someone as sweet as Marvel veteran Hugh Jackman, the man sure does have quite a couple feuds. One more might be added to the roster, as a recent interview for the upcoming movie The Gray Man saw both Russo Brothers admitting who they’d love to see play Wolverine in a future X-Men related project. Their choice is quite an interesting one and, if it pans out, we might get another round of Jackman ribbing a fellow former Marvel star; which is kind of what the world needs right now.

The Russo Brothers Would Love To See Chris Evans Play Wolverine

There’s no shortage of actors that have been pitched to play the next incarnation of James Logan Howlett’s heroic alter-ego. Most notably, X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn’s three suggestions saw Tom Hardy, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and perennial favorite Taron Egerton in the mix.

However, Chris Evans was officially named by Joe and Anthony Russo as their pick, during an interview with ComicBook.com. Here’s why the brothers think their former Captain America lead has the goods to pop some claws:

On a practical front, even facing down the confusion of a multiversal variant of Wolverine played by Chris Evans, this is something that could absolutely work. His previous role as the Human Torch in Fox’s pre-MCU Fantastic Four definitely didn’t stop him from playing Steve Rogers. While Evans’ fiery role has led to some fan love, Steve Rogers is by far the more iconic spot on his resume. 

Still, in the world of joke feuds, having Chris Evans and Hugh Jackman argue over whether he should even play the role or not is enough to make this latest dream casting a wonder to consider. But again, it’s not like Jackman needs any more comedic feuds for the world to catch up on, as one is still running and the other hasn’t quite developed just yet. 

Hugh Jackman’s Current “Feuds,” And How They Came About

Everyone knows the biggie in the world of the Aussie actor's “falling out” with other celebrities. The history of the Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman “feud” has raged for some time, with fans, brands, and charities alike benefitting from the madness. Though if we were to compare this potential Chris Evans spat to something a bit more recent and applicable, we would have to look at Chris Hemsworth’s recent efforts compete with Jackman on another front.

Most recently, the God of Thunder himself called down some mighty words about trying to beat Hugh Jackman’s record for longest appearance as a Marvel hero on film. With six years to go by Chris Hemsworth’s estimation, he even mentioned the possibility of stealing a potential role for Jackman in Deadpool 3 to help his cause. No word has come back on what the previous Wolverine has to say on the matter, but it’s still early. 

Should Chris Evans choose to do so, he now has a way onto Hugh Jackman’s rolodex of fake feuds. It takes two to tango, at the very least, so it’ll be up to Logan’s iconic star to either take the bait or slash the line. Then again, if any of the other participants on his dance card decide to latch onto these remarks, that decision might be easier than it currently is. Also, it'll probably throw the "Best Chris" standings off a bit, so that's something to look out for as well. 

At the moment, Chris Evans can be heard in theaters, voicing the titular protagonist of Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear. Also, the once and current cinematic boy scout will be seen flexing his villainy muscles in one of this year’s many movies on Netflix, The Gray Man. That spy-fi globetrotter will be in limited theatrical release on July 15th, with its streaming debut landing a week later on July 22nd.

Having seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, it is more than apparent that directors Joe and Anthony Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely work well together. Their creative sensibilities clearly mesh well, and it has resulted in them having a great deal of success with some complicated projects. There is, however, one notable thing that they still don’t see eye-to-eye on, and it concerns Steve Rogers’ travel through time at the end of their last Marvel movie.

In the wake of the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, both pairs of filmmakers conducted interviews with the press regarding their perspectives on Captain America’s actions in the final scenes of the blockbuster, and fans were surprised to learn that they didn’t match up. That was three years ago, and the men have since collaborated on the upcoming Netflix thriller The Gray Man… but apparently they have not yet reached an agreement about who is right in the time travel argument.

Yesterday afternoon I traveled to the AGBO office in downtown Los Angeles to interview Joe and Anthony Russo about The Gray Man, and while discussing their work with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely I asked if there had been any change in their Captain America-centric disagreement. Laughing, Anthony Russo said that they’ve only gotten further away from each other in regards to their separate conclusions, saying,

Fans will remember that Avengers: Endgame closes with Captain America traveling back through time to return all of the Infinity Stones and live a full life with Peggy Carter, but the point of contention between the Russos and the screenwriters concerns the timeline on which Steve Rogers spent his time.

In Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely’s view of Avengers: Endgame’s ending, Captain America travels back through time on the pre-existing timeline and is living his life with Peggy while his past self coexists and remains frozen at the North Pole (until he is woken up to eventually fight with the Avengers). The writers have even co-signed the idea that Steve is present at Peggy Carter’s funeral, as seen in Captain America: Civil War.

Joe and Anthony Russo have a different take on Captain America’s trip through time. They argue that his trip to the past inherently creates an alternate branched reality that is separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon depicted in all of the films, and that he had to travel across timelines back to the MCU so that he could give his shield to Sam Wilson.

The Russo brothers are sticking to that argument, even though it gets a defiant response from their frequent collaborators. Joe Russo continued,

With Loki making all kinds of changes to our perceptions of timelines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Doctor Strange meddling with alternate dimensions in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, the whole conversation on the matter in the canon is pretty crazy right now, let alone with the simple question of what happened with Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame. We’ll just have to wait and see where it all goes as Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige continues to execute the plan on his big board.

You can keep track of everything coming from the Marvel Cinematic Universe on screens both big and small via our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides. And for those of you excited for the latest Joe and Anthony Russo/Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely collaboration, The Gray Man is almost here. The action blockbuster will be hitting theaters on July 15 before being made available to stream on Netflix July 22.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment world, and nowhere was that more obvious than the record-breaking success of Avenger: Infinity War and Endgame. Those massive ensemble projects were helmed by The Russo Brothers, who have since taken some time away from the shared universe. And now Joe Russo has revealed his favorite Marvel movie from Phase Four (so far).

Phase Four of the MCU has been a doozy, with wild projects expanding the franchise on both the small and silver screens. The studio has been leaning into the concept of the multiverse, and it should be fascinating to see how this influences the overall shared universe. Joe Russo was recently asked by Den of Geek about the current slate of Marvel projects, revealing which new movie is his favorite. As he put it,

Solid points were made. Spider-Man: No Way Home was a huge movie event, with droves of moviegoers running to theaters to see Tom Holland’s third solo movie. But he was far from the only star on the big screen, as the massive crossover saw him unite with previous Peter Parker actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The movie also featured an ensemble of villains from those franchises, including Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, and Willem Dafoe.

After being the architects of Phase Three’s conclusion, it seems that The Russo Brothers have been really enjoying the ability to take a step back and experience new MCU movies as audience members. And in particular Joe Russo really enjoyed seeing the wild multiversal crossover events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Honestly, same.

In many ways Spider-Man: No Way Home feels like a spiritual successor to Avengers: Endgame, especially regarding the sheer scale of the blockbuster. The cast was massive, including the surprising return of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. And like Endgame and Infinity War, the comic book action was so thrilling that audiences erupted into applause during opening weekend screenings. So perhaps we should have seen The Russo Brothers’ reaction coming.

Since the release of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel fans have been curious to see if/when the Russos might return to the MCU. They seemingly did the impossible with their massive Marvel blockbusters, starting with Captain America: Civil War. That movie proved they could balance a massive cast with their pair of Avengers movies. And their MCU debut Captain America: The Winter Soldier is regarded as one of the best MCU movies of all time. So it’s safe to say that their potential return would be celebrated by the public. 

The next installment in the shared universe is Thor: Love and Thunder on July 8th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Towards the beginning of year, the 2022 Netflix movie schedule was teased with a promising reel of footage that showed off the studio’s slate of originals. One of the most anticipated movies on that docket has to be The Russo Brothers’ cinematic adaptation of Mark Greaney’s novel The Gray Man. Knowing that the film’s impressive cast includes the likes of Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, among others, that’s enough to make someone eager to know when they can see such a movie. 

If you find yourself in that particular boat, I hope your July calendar is open, as The Russos revealed that we’ll be seeing The Gray Man that month. Announced through their official Twitter feed, the Avengers: Endgame directing duo revealed that Netflix will offer The Gray Man on its streaming library as of July 22nd. Even better, Joe and Anthony Russo also shared some photos out with the public, teasing Evans and de Armas’ looks, as well as those of other cast members: 

While we have an awesome new look at The Gray Man, there’s still plenty being hidden from the public. Again, Joe and Anthony Russo have assembled a killer cast for The Gray Man, and we haven’t even seen our first looks at Alfre Woodard, Julia Butters, or Billy Bob Thornton in their respective roles. Perhaps that’s something we can look forward to in the first trailer for the film, which has to be on its way soon, right? Why else would the Russos tease such badass glimpses, along with a release date? 

The short pitch for The Gray Man is basically the following: Chris Evans is trying to kill Ryan Gosling, with Ana de Aramas and Bridgerton alum Regé-Jean Page taking sides in the globe-trotting tale. Story-wise, it’s a bit more complicated, as Gosling’s clandestine operative, Court Gentry, has apparently learned something he shouldn’t have been allowed to discover. This leads to Evans’ Lloyd Hansen trying to clean up the mess via a bounty put on Gentry. 

Whether or not that sweet mustache is essential to Lloyd’s process or merely just a personal touch, remains to be seen. Just to be on the safe side, let's watch that 2022 Netflix promo reel again to see The Gray Man in action: 

Should Netflix’s uber expensive gamble pay off, there’s 10 more books in the Gray Man series waiting to be adapted. That, of course, rides on how well audiences respond to Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans’ global spy game when it makes its big debut. Keeping that in mind, Netflix probably hopes it has something akin to the next series of James Bond movies on its hands, while silently hoping things aren’t cut down before it can begin. Otherwise, this book-based bonanza could go the way of The Rhythm Section. 

The Gray Man will debut in select theaters on July 15th, and it'll join the lineup of other Netflix movies a week later on July 22nd. Waiting that long for the movie is going to be painful enough, but let’s cross our fingers that a trailer does drop soon. Otherwise, the world might just burn out its monitors looking at this batch of photos in the coming weeks. 

We’re coming up on three years since Avengers: Endgame came out in theaters, and the penultimate Infinity Saga remains a popular conversation topic among Marvel Cinematic Universe fans. One of the biggest moments in Endgame, if not the biggest, was when Tony Stark/Iron Man sacrificed his life to save the universe. However, there were plenty of people ahead of the movie who thought Steve Rogers/Captain America would meet his demise, and Endgame co-director Joe Russo.

During the Q&A portion of his interview with Deadline at the Sands International Film Festival of St. Andrews, Joe Russo was asked by an audience member when he and the other creative minds behind Avengers: Endgame figured out the “endpoint” in terms of wrapping up Iron Man, Captain America and Black Widow’s stories. Russo started talking about how he likes to “diagnose” from a storytelling standpoint “what arcs are the most compelling” on the projects he puts together with his brother Anthony Russo, and then said the following:

Joe Russo makes a good point. Although we think of Captain America as a superhero first, he started out as a soldier willing to die for the greater good during World War II. Chris Evans’ character retained that mindset when he was awakened in the early 21st century, became an Avenger and battled threats like Loki, HYDRA and Ultron. Sure, there’s precedence for Captain America dying from the comics, and you can be sure seeing the Star Spangled Man with a Plan fall in battle would have been emotional. But from Russo’s perspective, it was too predictable a narrative path to embark down.

Then there’s Iron Man, who kicked off the MCU in 2008 and perished in Avengers: Endgame when he swiped the six Infinity Stones from the alternate timeline Thanos and used their power to wipe out the Mad Titan and his army. Back in November 2019, Endgame co-writer Christopher Markus explained that Robert Downey’s Jr. character had to die in order to “be his best self,” and Joe Russo echoed that statement with these words:

So by the time Avengers: Endgame was over, Iron Man was no longer with us, and neither was Black Widow, who threw herself over a cliff on Vormir so that Hawkeye could obtain the Soul Stone. Scarlett Johansson did reprise Natasha Romanoff one more time in Black Widow, which was set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, but unless the MCU wants to bring in doppelgängers of her or Tony Stark, akin to the alternate versions we saw in the animated series What If… ?, don’t expect to see Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. in this franchise again.

As for Captain America, after Avengers: Endgame’s climactic battle was over, he went back in time to return the Infinity Stones and Mjolnir to their proper places in time, and then he went to the late 1940s to live decades with his one true love, Peggy Carter. When we last saw him, the now-elderly Steve Rogers returned to the MCU’s present day to give a fresh version of his vibranium shield to Sam Wilson. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with Sam officially becoming the new Captain America, and Anthony Mackie’s character is now being lined up to lead Captain America 4. However, not only is Steve not expected to appear there, but both Chris Evans and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige debunked rumors that the original Captain America would return. So even though the MCU’s Steve isn’t dead (that we know of), for now, it’s not looking likely we’ll ever reunite with him.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the theatrical MCU tale on the docket, and it’s just one of many upcoming Marvel movies on the horizon. However, if you’re itching for new MCU content now, Moon Knight’s first episode is available to watch with a Disney+ subscription.

It was clear ahead of Spider-Man: No Way Home’s release that this was going to be one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest movies narratively-speaking, but despite opening as the pandemic continues to affect movie theaters, the Web-Slinger’s latest cinematic adventure is now officially a box office titan. Just four days after its big screen premiere counting Thursday night screenings, No Way Home has collected over $600 million worldwide so far, making it the sixth highest grossing movie in 2021 at the time of this writing. Now Marvel directors Joe and Anthony Russo have shared their take on this outstanding performance.

With that $600 million+ haul, Spider-Man: No Way Home has the third highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide yet, trailing just behind Avengers: Endgame at #1 and Avengers: Infinity War at #2, both Russos Brothers joints. So it’s fitting that they humorously commented on this success with the following Twitter video congratulating Tom Holland and everyone else who worked on No Way Home.

Since Joe Russo and his brother can’t hang out with Tom Holland anytime soon, watching the Spider-Man performer at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus will have to suffice. It is worth noting that in addition to introducing Tom Holland’s Peter Parker to the MCU in Captain America: Civil War, the Russos also included Spider-Man as a major player in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. So although Spider-Man: No Way Home didn’t surpass either of those movies’ opening weekends (Infinity War scoring $640.5 million and Endgame scoring $1.2 billion), Holland’s Web-Slinger is still resting nicely in the top three.

This is just one of the many ways Spider-Man: No Way Home has shined financially in less than a week’s time. It pulled in approximately $50 million on Thursday night, making it the third biggest Thursday opening ever behind Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. No Way Home also ended its weekend run domestically at $260 million ($7 million more than what was initially reported), nearly triple what Spider-Man-related flick Venom: Let There Be Carnage made in early October. With all this happening in the span of a few days, I’m eager to see how much money No Way Home has raked in by the time its theatrical run is over.

In addition to having worked with Tom Holland on three MCU movies, Joe and Anthony Russo also directed the actor in the Apple TV+ movie Cherry, where Holland played a PTSD-afflicted Army veteran who robbed banks to fund his and his wife’s drug addiction. While the Russos are busy these days with a variety of projects, including Netflix’s The Gray Man and Amazon Prime Video’s Citadel, apparently Marvel Studios tried to court the directing duo back for another movie. If the Russos do indeed return to the MCU, specifically for another event comparable to their Avengers movies (like Secret Wars), maybe that will give them another opportunity to direct Holland as Spider-Man.

For now though, Tom Holland and the Spider-Man: No Way Home cast and crew can bask in the movie’s box office glory. If you haven’t already, be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review for No Way Home, and naturally we’ll let you know if/when it’s announced Holland will return as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, along with any other major news about upcoming Marvel movies.

There are a number of people who’ve served as advocates for the superhero and comic book community, and Kevin Smith is certainly one of them. For years, the filmmaker has geeked out over the happenings within the comics space, and his enthusiasm is always palpable. As a result, he’s been involved in a number of projects related to the medium and genre. He’s now scored yet another sweet gig, as he’s teaming up with directors Joe and Anthony Russo for a new show focusing on Marvel and DC Comics. 

The Comic Book Men creator and the Avengers directors are taking their talents to The Roku Channel for Slugfest. The 10-part documentary series is set to explore the lengthy history between DC and Marvel, including the rivalry between the two. According to the streamer, each installment will dive into specific aspects of the storied companies. The Cherry directors are serving as executive producers on the project, while the Clerks 3 helmer is set to narrate. All in all, this sounds like a must-see for any superhero aficionado. 

The Russo Brothers and Kevin Smith are definitely a match made in nerd heaven. Each of their résumés speak for themselves. As lifelong comic book fans, they’re perfectly equipped to help tell this lengthy and complex story. The two siblings released a joint statement along with the news, and it sounds like they’re excited to be provide fans with some keen insight into this topic:

The relationship between the comic book companies has evolved in some interesting ways. While they don’t seem to be fierce competitors today, there was a time in which the two would engage in a few back-and-forths back in the day. At one point, each would seemingly reference the other’s work by creating characters that were similar to those of the other company. Their styles arguably also bled into each other due to the fact that notable writers and artists like Jack Kirby, John Romita Sr., Kelly Sue DeConnick and Brian Michael Bendis have worked for both over the years. There have, however, been collaborations between the two, as evidenced by the occasional crossover books that have been written here and there. 

Today, of course, many believe the rivalry has transferred to the companies’ moviemaking ventures. Though there certainly seems to be a divide amongst fans, bigwigs of the respective entertainment entities have shot down those claims. Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige downplayed any kind of animosity, saying that the fiery relationship is moreso “amongst the press.” Meanwhile, Peter Safran, who produced films like Aquaman and Shazam! under Warner Bros., called the notion of a conflict “bullshit.” Like Feige, he believes the creatives behind the films are fans of every piece of superhero cinema. 

I hope the cinematic aspect of all of this is indeed examined and, with the Russos involved, there’s a good chance they ensured that would be the case. It’ll be fun to see what’s revealed in this new docuseries and hear Kevin Smith’s enthusiastic, but cerebral, voice throughout the show.

Slugfest is set to premiere on The Roku Channel on December 24th.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine over the last decade of filmmaking, but there are still some major roadblocks every so often. The most recent was Scarlett Johansson’s legal battle with Disney over the release of Black Widow, which has since been resolved. And now Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo has broken his silence on ScarJo’s lawsuit.

The long-delayed Black Widow movie kickstarted Phase Four of the MCU in theaters, but the project was also made available on Disney+. This decision ultimately led to Scarlett Johansson suing for money lost, as the box office suffered seemingly as a result of pirating. Joe Russo worked with Johansson in each of his MCU movies, and spoke to the overall climate of the film industry. As he put it,

Well, he’s got a point. It’s been an unprecedented time for all of us, and the entertainment industry certainly suffered like others. And with theaters only starting to get back to normal, streaming services offer a unique complication. Joe Russo seems to feel everyone’s head is spinning as a result.

Joe Russo’s comments to Variety help to show what it’s actually like working in the film world, and specifically within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s a filmmaker working on both streaming and theatrical projects, so his perspective is certainly valuable. And that’s especially true when it comes to the recently resolved Black Widow situation.

Scarlett Johansson was ultimately able to reach an agreement with Disney about Black Widow, and she’ll continue working with the studio on projects like The Tower of Terror. In the same interview Joe Russo also spoke about that resolution, saying:

Scarlett Johansson has worked with Disney many times throughout the years, outside of her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While she’s seemingly retired as Natasha Romanoff, it’ll be interesting to see what comes next. And that includes the previously mentioned Tower of Terror movie that she’s set to produce and star in.

Black Widow’s box office performance and the fallout from Scarlett Johansson seemed to influence Marvel Studios’ strategy with future projects. Shang-Chi had an exclusive theatrical window, and broke records as a result. Eternals is also expected to arrive exclusively in theaters, allowing moviegoers to take on the scope of Chloé Zhao's movie.

The MCU will return to theaters with Eternals on November 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Not unlike how the Duke of Hastings and Daphne’s love affair went aflame in Bridgerton, once Regé-Jean Page’s career in Hollywood was lit, it caught on like a wildfire. The Netflix series premiered less than a year ago, and yet the British actors is already working with some major players. Most recently, the actor worked with Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling and the Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo on the upcoming remake of The Gray Man, and he’s now signed on to work on another feature with the filmmakers. 

Regé-Jean Page has signed on to executive produce and star an upcoming heist thriller alongside the Russo Brothers, per The Hollywood Reporter. We don’t know much about the project for the time being, but the original story comes from Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley, who will also produce. 

The Bridgerton actor wrapped his work on The Gray Man with the Russo Brothers back in late April, though filming for the production continued until late July. The movie stars Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling as former CIA colleagues. Evans plays Lloyd Hansen, who is sent to hunt down Gosling’s Court Gentry, who was betrayed by their common agency. Knives Out’s Ana de Armas and Alfre Woodard are also among the cast. The Gray Man was given a massive production budget, reportedly over $200 million, making it one of the most costly films for the streaming service. 

While it sounds like Regé-Jean Page’s role in The Gray Man falls into a supporting role, he must have really hit it off with Joe and Anthony Russo now that he’s set towork with them again. The Russos directed The Gray Man, but have loads of producing jobs in the works, including Extraction 2, starring Chris Hemsworth. They are also developing the live-action Hercules movie, among many other ventures following their achievement with Marvel with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame bringing together a decade of movie world building. 

Aside from this new project and The Gray Man, Regé-Jean Page is starring in the Dungeons & Dragons movie with Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith and Hugh Grant. The movie wrapped filming already as well, and it is set to come out in March 2023. Page is set to star in The Saint reboot for Paramount as well. 

The 31-year-old actor is finding a lot of success nowadays, but to the heartbreak of Bridgerton fans, he will not be returning for the highly-anticipated second season of the Netflix series. Like the books the show is based on, the focus will shift to another love story, specifically Anthony Bridgerton's instead of Daphne's. 

There are a lot of exciting projects headed Regé-Jean Page’s way, and his collaboration with none other than the Russo brothers on two projects brings some added confidence that he deserves his overnight fame. 

Ever since they were hired to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Joe and Anthony Russo have been two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most important behind-the-scenes talent. The brothers returned to helm Phase 3 launcher Captain America: Civil War, and then they transitioned to the Avengers film series to oversee Infinity War and Endgame. While the Russos said back in April 2019 that Avengers: Endgame would be their last Marvel outing “for now,” word’s come in that the studio tried to court them back for another movie recently, so let’s start speculating about what it could be.

Actually, it’s important to set up some context first. As those who follow Marvel movie news closely know, Scarlett Johansson has sued Disney for simultaneously releasing Black Widow in theaters and on Disney+’s Premier Access tier, which resulted in the actress losing out on box office bonuses she was reportedly entitled to. As a consequence of this legal messiness, The Wall Street Journal reports that Joe and Anthony Russo “hit an impasse” in negotiations to direct another Marvel movie, as they became “unsure” about how this project would be distributed and how much they would be paid. The outlet also noted that the outcome of Johansson’s lawsuit could “help set new compensation benchmarks for digital releases” at Disney.

So right off the bat, it’s far from a sure thing at this moment that Joe and Anthony Russo will sign on for a fifth Marvel movie. If they can’t reach an understanding with Marvel Studios, the directing duo could just step away from the negotiating table and stay gone from the MCU. After all, it’s not like they’re lacking in projects right now. The Russos currently in postproduction on Netflix’s The Gray Man, as well as developing on the Amazon series Citadel and producing Disney’s live-action Hercules remake, among others things.

Whether Joe and Anthony Russo direct this mysterious Marvel movie or Marvel Studios brings aboard a different filmmaker (perhaps even another duo), the question remains: what is this movie? I imagine it would be something similar in scale to the last two Avengers movies, rather than the Russos handling a “solo” MCU movie. So in that regard, another Avengers movie seems to be the likeliest option, and that would undoubtedly be another major crossover event. Rumor has it a Secret Wars movie is in the works, and that could easily be adapted within an Avengers 5 framework.

But another possibility is that Joe and Anthony Russo were being looked at to direct a movie featuring a Marvel superhero group that’s just as famous as the Avengers, if not more so. We’ve known for years now that eventually the X-Men will be rebooted within the MCU, and with Marvel heading already hired Jon Watts, the man behind all the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man movies, to helm its Fantastic Four reboot, it’s easy to imagine the studio also wanting to look in-house director to handle introducing the team of mutants. Earlier this year, Joe Russo even addressed how difficult it will be to recast Wolverine following Hugh Jackman’s nearly two decades in the role.

Rest assured, if it’s officially announced that Joe and Anthony Russo will direct another Marvel movie, we’ll let you know. For now, you’re welcome to look through the upcoming Marvel movies guide to discover what the MCU is lining up for theaters in the coming years.