Marvel has never really felt quite whole since Avengers: Endgame. Perhaps it was the absence of some of the most integral and beloved heroes, the poor storytelling in Phases Four and Five, or the lack of a connective tissue in the new Multiverse Saga. The latter of the three is something that the Russo Brothers are definitely trying to bring back with their much-anticipated return.
As the MCU now prepares for a grand two-part showdown, the studio is at the most crucial turning point in its 17-year-long history. With the failure of the Multiverse Saga, Marvel can essentially kiss the future goodbye. But if the Russo Brothers can really pull off Doomsday and Secret Wars as beautifully as Infinity War and Endgame, the studio will earn back its fans’ love and loyalty.
Marvel pulls out all the stops ahead of D-Day
Throughout Marvel’s Phase I, II, and III arcs, there was an overarching connective tissue that linked each movie to the one that came before and the one that followed after. The emotional depth and sincerity in the three phases made the Infinity Saga’s heart-wrenching conclusion feel earned and deserved.
Ever since moving on from Avengers: Endgame, the same feeling of inclusiveness and connection within the broader storyline of the MCU feels blatantly absent. Although one can appreciate Marvel’s effort to expand with standalone projects like Moon Knight, Eternals, and Werewolf by Night, Phases Four and Five lack the clarity that came with the Russo Brothers‘ reign.
With only a couple of years left before Marvel hurtles headlong into irreparable disaster, Kevin Feige pulls out all the stops by bringing back elements from the past that made the MCU such a success – Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo Brothers. However, a recent interview suggests there might be a more meaningful reason behind the director-duo’s comeback.
The Russo Brothers step in to tell a grand story
Although it is not unheard of, a director returning to a story they forsook earlier is definitely surprising. For the Russo Brothers, that story happens to be placed within the realm of Marvel’s infinite universes. With Phase Five coming to an end, it now falls on their shoulders to guide the MCU to a satisfactory end with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
During an appearance on The Discourse podcast in February 2025, Joe and Anthony Russo revealed what really led them to consider coming back to Marvel once again:
We did so many of those movies in a row that you sort of forget about the pressure. The job is so all-encompassing and so intense that you can’t really think about, ‘Well, what are people going to feel or think about this?’ All you can think about is, ‘Is this a good story that we want to tell or not? Why are we doing it?’ So we’re exclusively focused on the storytelling right now. And that’s the thing that brought us back— an idea for a story where we went, ‘That’s a really, really interesting story to tell.’
While it sounds quite serious coming from a directing duo who have already helmed one of the most impactful, emotional, and influential stories within the Marvel Universe, it also reignites some hope within the fandom after the studio’s lackluster performance over the past 6 years.
If the Russo Brothers have really stumbled upon a “really, really interesting story,” it is one that the Marvel fandom is desperately waiting to hear.
Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are slated to premiere on 1 May 2026 and 7 May 2027.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
