Kevin Feige teased recently that Marvel will soon clarify the MCU’s larger storyline, prompting speculation that the MCU might soon get the first new Avengers story after Endgame. Separately, there’s been increased chatter about Secret Wars being the likely title of a future Avengers installment, with the Russo brothers rumored to be the movie’s potential directors.
Anthony and Joe Russo recently commented on their affinity for the Secret Wars story in the comics, teasing that movies based on it would be even bigger than Infinity War and Endgame. They also made it sound like they’re considering making the next Avengers movies for Marvel. However, the Russos are back and they have denied any involvement in upcoming MCU projects, whether it’s Secret Wars or something else.
Before you read on, note that some spoilers might follow below.
Who will direct Avengers 5?
We’ve already had 13 titles in the MCU Phase 4, with another five to come this year alone. We’re looking at four upcoming Disney Plus shows: I Am Groot, She-Hulk, The Halloween Special, and the Guardians Holiday Special. Then there’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which premieres in November.
But there’s no Avengers 5 crossover in Phase 4, though that’s the kind of movie we would’ve had by now in the previous phases. The MCU expansion complicates things, as Marvel hasn’t finished introducing new superheroes and villains.
Of note, the next Avengers movie doesn’t have to be as big as Infinity War and Endgame. Marvel might go for a soft reboot before moving on to the Secret Wars storyline, if that’s the plan for the current saga.
The Russos seem like the natural choice for any Avengers sequel, given what they did with the last two. And they’ve said more than once that they love the Secret Wars story. But there’s no guarantee that Marvel will team up with them. Or that Secret Wars will launch anytime soon.
That’s the kind of clarity that Marvel will hopefully provide in the coming months. The studio will attend San Diego Comic-Con this week. Then, Disney’s D23 Expo takes place in September. We should get plenty of new details at that point.
The Russos and Secret Wars
The Russo brothers always seem to pop up alongside Avengers 5 and Secret Wars rumors. That’s because they keep fielding questions about a Marvel return every time they talk to the press. They’re currently promoting The Gray Man, their latest movie that hits Netflix on Friday, July 22nd.
That’s how the brothers got to talking about Secret Wars again. And their comment seemed to imply that Marvel and the Russos might be working together again.
Here’s what Joe Russo had to say a few days ago about Secret Wars:
It’s incredibly ambitious, it’s bigger than Infinity War and Endgame, but it’s a massive undertaking. Those two movies were very hard to make, so trying to imagine making two movies even bigger than those two? We’re gonna have to sleep on that.
Since then, the Russos made additional comments about Marvel, Secret Wars, and the upcoming Comic-Con event. Joe Russo told Josh Horowitz recently there’s “no story” about them working with Marvel on Secret Wars.
“We haven’t had conversations with those guys about anything that they are up to because we’ve been intensely busy with our own schedule,” Joe said.
He continued, “We just always answer truthfully when we’re asked, ‘would you work with them?’ Of course, we would. We adore them. ‘What would you like to do?’ Secret Wars was our favorite series growing up, you know? And then I think it always gets turned into a bigger story. But to be clear, there is no story.”
Then again, Marvel and the people working with the studio have been known to lie and deceive fans. Time will tell whether that’s what the Russos are doing regarding Secret Wars.
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