The Russos Say They Are Probably Done With The MCU After ‘Avengers' Films

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If it weren't for the Russos, I just don't think Captain America would be as popular a character in the MCU. I mean, after all, it looked like Marvel and Disney seemed to want to bank on Robert Downey Jr.s Iron Man as the driving force of the Avengers. 

However, after the slight but amusing "Captain America: The First Avenger" directed by "Jumanji" helmer Joe Johnston, Marvel Head Kevin Feige quickly switched directions for Cap and hired Joe and Anthony Russo to helm "The Winter Soldier." That film was a game-changer for the genre, and the closest to near cinematic heaven a superhero has come since Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy. The follow-up "Civil War," a film that, by all accounts, was an Avengers affair, but much better, sealed the deal that the Russos were the go-to guys for Feige. No surprise then that he hired them to direct the last two movies of the MCU, this week's released "Infinity War" and next year's as of yet untitled sequel. 

Going back to the transition between "The First Avenger" and "The Winter Soldier." What a drastic change that was for Marvel. They were still trying to find their own identity, relying on what Favreau did with "Iron Man" and, by all accounts, "The First Avenger" is an ok film, but, when viewed again today, it feels much more like a DCEU film than any Marvel film we've come to expect the last 7 years or so. 

"The Winter Soldier" really changed the game; It changed the style, the tone, the seriousness, hell, the Russos even decided to bring a cinematic feel to "The Winter Soldier" by heavily borrowing from the 1970's political thriller and not even being subtle about their affection for it by hiring Robert Redford who starred in one of the very best of that genre in the 1970s: "The Three Days of the Condor."

And so The Russos, who only directed two other films before being hired for "The Winter Soldier," the sligth but amusing "Welcome to Collinwood," and the God awful "You, Me and Dupree," have found a niche for the aciton-thriller and have become the two hottest filmmakers in American studio filmmaking. With their MCU almost done, I was wondering, what's next for them?

According to an interview with Empire, the brothers are adamant at their next project not being a Marvel movie.

“The next film that we will direct will most likely be for our company, and most likely be a tentpole,” the Russos said. “[Christopher] Markus and [Stephen] McFeely have come on board in a very unique capacity, as what we’re calling Co-Presidents of Story. We’ve been developing inside the studio system for many years, inside networks, and we know what works about them and what doesn’t work about them.”

There it is, folks. Russos not returning to the MCU, for now.

“Iron Man 3" is The Most Underrated Movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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It's kind of a funny thing when you think about Robert Downey Jr's story. The drugs, the sex, the crazy partying, the meltdowns - it all led to an insanely triumphant comeback and him becoming, of all things,  an action star by playing Iron Man in three highly successful movies. He is, more or less, the star of the MCU, or, at least, alongside Chris Evans' Captain America, its face.

Downey made a career of memorable roles before his personal life went out of control due to a severe bout with cocaine and heroine addiction, but "Iron Man" staged the most incredible comeback in, qute possibly, Hollywood history. He went from a black-listed actor that nobody wanted near their productions to the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. 

The comeback, contrary to what some might think, didn't start with "Iron Man" but instead with 2006's indie "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" which was written and directed by a guy that was also deemed "washed-up," a "has-been" by the industry: Shane Black. A noir, murdery-mystery comedy, the film also kickstarted an acting style Downey Jr. would mimic in the "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes" films. 

READ MORE:  'Marvel Cinematic Universe' Movies RANKED

Black started his career as a whiz-kid screenwriter. At the age of 27 he wrote "Lethal Weapon" and became the hottest screenwriter in town, he followed that up with cult classics such as "The Last Boy Scout," "The Last Action Hero" and "The Long Kiss Goodnight." However, none of the aforementioned films even came near the box-office success of "Lethal Weapon." After "The Long Kiss Good Night" in 1996 Black disappeared from the spotlight only to return with "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."

The partnership, and consequential friendship, between Black and Downey Jr. would lead the latter to vouch and fight for the former to helm "Iron Man 3." Black would eventually take over Jon Favreau's duties as director. 

If "Iron Man 2" was a total and utter disappointment, the third installment felt fresh, unique and unlike anything we had previously seen from the MCU. It, of course, was a drastically different film from the 2008 original, a benchmark for the MCU. "Iron Man 3" felt fresh, innovative and just downright satirical about the superhero genre. 

The screenplay approach to the film was somewhat unusual and still is an anomaly in the genre. Black tried to sidestep cliches by infusing his own auteur voice to the mix. The recognizable writing style and themes that he sculpted since 1987's "Lethal Wepon" were there in spades: Male bonding, the trade of witty dialogue, labyrinthine crime plots and, most importantly, the Christmas setting, all rendered the film a uniqueness that would never be greenlit in today's safer, by-the-books MCU. In other words, the movie was filled with what we've come to know as "Shane Blackisms."

Back in 2013 I had this to say about the film: 

"Shane Black, has taken over Jon Favreau's duties as director of the newest Iron Man. If Iron Man 2 was a total and utter disappointment, this newest installment seems fresh and newly invigorated. It helps that Iron Man 3's screenplay is written in a way that goes against the narratives we are used to now with the MCU movies, much kudos must be given to Shane Black and Drew Pearce who collaborated on the screenplay. In Iron Man 3 the baddies are played by capably brilliant actors -Ben Kingsley and Guy Pierce- that bring a real nice touch to a film that could have easily steered the wrong way. This is a film that doesn't take itself so seriously and that's possibly the best approach to have in making these kinds of movies. As an added bonus, this has he potential to be a Christmas classic." 

five years after its release, it seems like we will likely never again have the risk-taking of "Iron Man 3," espeially with Marvel and Disney upping the restraints on filmmakers as the films become more and more popular.