Russo Brothers to Honor Marvel's Louis D'Esposito With New Award

Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo are helping launch a new award — and the first recipient is one of their Marvel collaborators. On Thursday, it was announced that Louis D'Esposito, producer and Co-President of Marvel Studios, will be honored with the first-ever "Renaissance Award", a distinguished honor to celebrate the outstanding contributions to Italian American heritage and the entertainment industry. The award will be given out at the Russo Brothers' Italian American Filmmaker Forum Event, which will be held on January 18th and will be the first-annual event for the Russo Brothers' Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF).

"We're greatly privileged to honor our esteemed friend, Louis D'Esposito, for his remarkable contributions," Joe and Anthony Russo said in a statement. "His tireless dedication to preserving and promoting Italian American culture profoundly resonates with us and perfectly aligns with the Filmmaker Forum's commitment to cultural preservation through storytelling and film."

The RBIAFF hosts an annual filmmaker fellowship program in collaboration with the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA.) This program offers production grants to emerging filmmakers who seek to develop and create stories for the screen that illuminate aspects of the Italian American experience. The top 5 applicants who receive the grant will create a short film based on a submitted concept, and a winning film will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of executives at AGBO and leadership at the ISDA. Applications for the RBIAFF grant will open on February 1, 2024.

As the AGBO Foundation puts it, D'Esposito has made a significant impact in his over three decade career in the entertainment industry. Under his stewardship, Marvel Studios has carved an impressive path, boasting 33 films that collectively have grossed nearly $30 billion worldwide, including ten that have achieved the billion-dollar milestone. Monumental accomplishments such as Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War, both of which were directed by the Russo Brothers and co-written by AGBO Co-Presidents of Story Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have surpassed the two-billion-dollar mark, solidifying Marvel's monumental impact on the cinematic landscape.

Will the Russo Brothers Return to Marvel Studios?

Since 2019's Endgame, Joe and Anthony Russo have not returned to work on a Marvel Studios project in any capacity — but the duo has left the door open to do so, especially through AGBO.

"We've talked to [Marvel chief creative officer] Kevin [Feige] and [Marvel Studios co-president] Lou [D'Esposito] all the time at Marvel," Joe Russo told ComicBook.com in 2020. "[Marvel Studios executive Vice President of Production] Victoria [Alonso]. They're all your friends of ours. Texting, seeing how everyone's doing. We get together with Lou for regular dinners once a month and there's always conversations going on. I think, you know, when we all land on with the right project is for us all to team back up on what, we'll jump in feet first for sure."

What do you think of the details surrounding the Renaissance Award? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!