After a long and exhaustive search, it seems Marvel has found the perfect people to direct the next two Avengers sequels: The guys who directed the last two Avengers sequels.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Anthony and Joe Russo are in “early talks” to direct Avengers 5 and Avengers 6. The Russos previously directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most successful films.
READ MORE: Marvel Announces Next Avengers Movies
THR notes the selection of the Russos “ends a months-long, high stakes search by the studio for filmmakers to oversee the fifth and sixth Avengers movies. Multiple names were in contention, including Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, who was offered the gig.”
The Russos will be coming on to an Avengers sequel that will need quite a bit of creative overhaul. The film was first announced (almost exactly two years ago) as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and was intended to star Jonathan Majors as the time-traveling villain. Then Majors was found guilty of assault and fired by Marvel. While Marvel could theoretically recast Majors with another actor (a villain with as many variants as Kang could just have a bunch who don’t look like Majors after all), it is widely assumed the film will now feature a different villain and a different focus. It will definitely have a different title.
Avengers 6 was announced as Secret Wars, and the directors have spoken previously about their love of those comics. Then again in November of 2022, they also said they wouldn’t be working with Marvel again anytime soon. Does a two-year-period count as “anytime soon”? Who’s to say.
Avengers 5 is currently scheduled for release on May 1, 2026. Avengers 7 is on the schedule for May of 2027.
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