San Diego Comic-Con made headlines this weekend with a double bombshell from Marvel Studios: Robert Downey Jr. will take on the role of Doctor Doom in the MCU, and the Russo Brothers are set to direct two new superhero films: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Anthony and Joe Russo, lifelong members of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), have directed some of the most critically acclaimed and successful MCU movies to date, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
Watch here as Marvel Studios Co-President Kevin Feige introduces the news:
Over the last decade, the Russo Brothers’ films have grossed $7 billion at the global box office and have been viewed by 1 billion people — far more than any other director.
Downey will play Victor Von Doom in both upcoming Avengers installments (Doomsday will arrive in 2026 and Secret Wars will premiere in 2027).
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HOW IT ALL BEGAN
As grad students in the 90s, the Russo Brothers directed their first indie flick, Pieces, a film that caught the attention of Steven Soderbergh, who offered to produce their next movie — the crime-comedy, Welcome to Collinwood.
The Brothers later gained the attention of Ron Howard, who had a hand in hiring the pair to direct the pilot for Fox’s Arrested Development, for which they received an Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series. Then came the comedy hit Community, where the Brothers served as directors and executive producers.
However, their meteoric rise was sparked in 2013 when they earned the opportunity to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Their idea of painting “Cap” as a flawed character resonated with Marvel Studios Co-President Louis D’Esposito, and this concept of superheroes fighting both internal and external battles remains the most appealing part of their epic storytelling.
This past January, the Russo Brothers honored D’Esposito with the inaugural “Renaissance Award,” which celebrates outstanding contributions to Italian American heritage and the entertainment industry.
The award was presented at the launch of the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF), a fellowship program that offers production grants to emerging filmmakers who seek to create stories for the screen that illuminate aspects of the Italian American experience.
Five winning applicants received a $10,000 production grant to develop their respective short films. Additionally, the one applicant that creates the best film will be awarded an extra $10,000 and admittance into the AGBO Storyteller’s Collective, an alumni network of young filmmakers that have been honored by AGBO fellowships or competitions.
See the latest updates on the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum here.
ABOUT AGBO
AGBO is an Academy Award-Winning independent studio focused on developing and producing intellectual property universes spanning film, TV, gaming, and publishing. Founded in 2017 by award-winning directors Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO’s mission is to innovate and advance the next generation of storytelling to entertain and inspire worldwide audiences. In addition to AGBO’s record-breaking releases which include “Citadel” for Amazon MGM Studios, “The Gray Man” and both “Extraction” installments for Netflix, AGBO produced multiple films for emerging filmmakers including The Daniels for the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture film “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Natalie Erika James for “Relic” which was named a National Board of Review top ten film of 2020, and Ari Costa and Eren Celeboglu for the Asa Butterfield-Natalia Dyer horror thriller “All Fun and Games.” AGBO’s upcoming production, “The Bluff”, for Amazon MGM starring Priyanka Chopra-Jonas has Frank E Flowers at the helm directing his second feature film.
AGBO’s efforts in championing emerging filmmakers are demonstrated with several initiatives that award resources and opportunities to new talent. Such programming at AGBO includes a Slamdance Film Festival Fellowship, the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum, as well as AGBO’s own global 48-hour short film festival, No Sleep ‘til Film Fest. The studio has cultivated an alumni network of young filmmakers that have been honored by AGBO fellowships or competitions known as the AGBO Storytellers Collective. The Storytellers Collective offers ongoing mentorship and industry guidance from AGBO executives. Beyond mentorship, it also serves as a community for these filmmakers to connect with one another and collaborate, nurturing and supporting each other’s growth as artists. https://www.agbo.com/
