Avengers: Endgame Directors Are Sure They’ll Return to Marvel Studios When the Right Movie Comes Along

Four-time Marvel movie directors Anthony and Joe Russo are sure they'll return to Marvel Studios when the right opportunity comes along, the Avengers: Endgame filmmakers said while promoting new Russo produced Netflix movie Extraction. The directing duo spent seven years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directing Captain America sequels The Winter Soldier and Civil War before undertaking Marvel's largest effort yet, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the epic event movies filmed back-to-back with the franchise's biggest stars. Now focused on their production company AGBO, which backs their next directorial effort starring Spider-Man star Tom Holland, the Russo brothers remain in touch with Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige and co-president Louis D'Esposito:

"We were with Marvel for seven straight years, full-time, focused on those four movies. That was the greatest time of our lives; we loved it," Anthony Russo told Esquire. "We're very proud of the work we did, and we're very proud of the collaboration we had with the folks at Marvel. That was amazing."

Russo continued, "We're finding opportunities to carry those experiences and relationships forward — specifically here with Chris [Hemsworth] and [Endgame stunt coordinator and second unit director] Sam Hargrave with Extraction. There are different ways we're carrying the relationships forward with many, many of the cast and crew and producers of those films. That's really exciting."

The Russos reunited with Chadwick Boseman, who plays Black Panther in three of their four Marvel movies, when AGBO backed Boseman's 21 Bridges. The Hargrave-directed Extraction reunites them with Thor star Hemsworth, who they directed across Infinity War and Endgame, while Holland headlines true story drama Cherry.

"So in one way, that Marvel period is over. But in another way, it's continuing to evolve into new projects," Anthony said. "With Cherry, and Tom Holland, it's the same thing. A lot of [Marvel] actors, we're still developing and working with, and we still talk with Kevin Feige and Lou D'Esposito regularly."

The future of the MCU post-Endgame is "certainly in other people's hands," added Joe Russo. "We're focused on AGBO, and Cherry, at the moment. We've got Extraction, and there are a lot of movies about to go into production, and we're also working on Exit West with the Obamas. So at the moment, that's where our focus is."

But the directors, who have in the past expressed an interest in another cosmic crossover, Secret Wars, or a project starring metal-clawed mutant Wolverine of the X-Men, are open to one day steering another MCU-set production.

"We adore Kevin, Lou, Victoria [Alonso, Executive Vice President of Production at Marvel Studios] and everyone at Marvel, and we're always looking for another opportunity to work together," Joe Russo said. "When the right one comes along, I'm sure we'll all go make it."

Extraction is now streaming on Netflix. Avengers: Endgame and other Marvel Studios blockbusters are available to stream on Disney+.

Photo credit: Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images