The Russo brothers were initially ‘resistant’ to directing the next two ‘Avengers’ movies

By Joe Allen Published March 23, 2025

The Russo brothers have done more for Marvel than basically any other directors, but the duo were initially reluctant to return to Marvel for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The directors behind Infinity War and Endgame said that they initially turned down the offer to direct the next two Avengers movies, even though it would mean reuniting with Robert Downey Jr.

While speaking with Omelete, Joe Russo said that Downey Jr. was already attached to return, and that he was the one who made the initial overture to them.

“Then Robert tried to talk us into doing [ Doomsday and Secret Wars] and we said ‘no,’” Joe Russo said. “We just didn’t have a story. We didn’t have a way in. We were resistant for a while.”

Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote the last two Avengers movies and is a close collaborator of the Russos, was the one who ultimately cracked the story and convinced the Russos they should return for both movies.

“One day, Stephen McFeely, one of our chief collaborators, said, ‘I have an idea,’” Joe Russo added. “We went, ‘That’s the story!’ That story has to be told; it’s a really powerful story!”

The Russos of course did not disclose exactly what that story might be, and we still know remarkably little about what Doomsday and Secret Wars are actually about. Doomsday is set hit theaters on May 1, 2026, and Secret Wars on May 7, 2027, closely mirroring the release dates for Infinity War and Endgame, which went on to set box office records. Marvel is clearly hoping that Doomsday and Secret Wars will be similarly successful.