Disney Refuses To Let ‘Avengers’ Icons Rejoin MCU: Report

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Iron Man's side hero lineup during Captain America: Civil War, (left to right) Black Panther, Vision, Iron Man, Black Widow, and War Machine

Credit: Marvel Studios

Despite concerns about “superhero fatigue” and the departure of Jonathan Majors, who (formerly) portrayed Kang the Conqueror, Marvel Studios is set to redefine the Marvel movie landscape once more.

With Majors no longer with the studio and Marvel President Kevin Feige considering a transition from the Multiverse Saga to a new Mutant Saga featuring X-Men characters, Avengers 5 (formerly titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) is in development, though on a smaller scale than previous installments.

Thor grabbing Thanos by the side of the head
Credit: Marvel Studios

Following this will be Avengers 6, officially titled Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to conclude the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Before that, however, the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), also known as Deadpool 3, starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular Deadpool/Wade Wilson, will integrate the Fox X-Men universe into the MCU.

With many new superhero teams on the horizon, it seems Disney and Marvel are poised to introduce yet another new team — following the incorporation of the 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) X-Men franchise and the Pedro Pascal-led The Fantastic Four, with Pascal portraying Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards.

But apart from focusing on new characters like , it appears that Disney are now in the habit of turning away once-established Marvel greats in favor of newer blood for the superhero giant.

Totally New Blood for Disney’s Marvel Studios?

On a recent episode of The Hot Mic podcast, insider Jeff Sneider discussed the reported involvement of the Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2019) icons Anthony and Joe Russo — the directing duo behind Marvel Studios’ greatest hits — with John Rocha.

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say the lack of involvement, as it appears that Disney and Marvel have turned the iconic Avengers leaders, the Russo Brothers, down as directors for Avengers 5 (formerly Avengers: The Kang Dynasty).

Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) dying looking at Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in 'Avengers: Endgame'
Credit: Marvel Studios

In fact, Sneider shares that the Russo Brothers were keen to return to the franchise that they put on the map (which also put them on the map), but Disney decided to pass on the two as frontrunners of this new phase of the Avengers franchise — likely in a bid to avoid accusations of “taking the safe route”, or resting too much on their laurels, hoping to recreate the same lightning in a bottle spark that set the theatre-going world aflame back in 2018 and 2019.

According to Sneider, Disney and Marvel may not want Deadpool franchise mainstay, Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, either.

It’s not unreasonable to assume that Disney, to avoid further negative press for Marvel, might not be too keen on these old standards.

The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) with a gun
Credit: Marvel Studios

The biological brothers have gone on to direct projects with middling responses. Their big success was notably the 2022 Oscar sweeper Everything Everywhere All At Once, which the brotherly duo produced.

Avengers: Endgame will not have been the last we hear of the Russos in the MCU, as the latest report indicates that they have instead been brought on to produce one more film for the Marvel studio.

Thor grabbing Thanos by the side of the head
Credit: Marvel Studios

It was recently reported that the two would instead return to produce on Captain America: Brave New World, the next Captain America franchise movie starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the MCU’s former Falcon, in his new role as the Avengers’ Cap.

This marks a return to the Russo Brothers’ Marvel roots, considering they directed 2014’s hit Captain America: The Winter Soldier, often touted as one of the studio’s best films to date, and follow-up Captain America: Civil War (2016) before their major blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) successes.

With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) director Destin Daniel Cretton and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) writer Jeff Loveness out of the picture for what would have been Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and Disney+ (Disney Plus) Loki (2021) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) writer Michael Waldron set to pen Avengers: Secret Wars, it definitely feels like Marvel and Disney are leaving room for totally new blood.

Will Mark Ruffalo return as the Hulk/Bruce Banner, or Chris Hemsworth as Thor Odinson? Will Tom Holland’s Spider-Man/Peter Parker come back to lead the new Avengers? Regarding that, only time will tell.

Do you think the Russo Brothers should return to Marvel Studios for the next Avengers movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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