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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine, with every installment in Phase Four releasing to critical and box office success. The Russo Brothers were involved in the franchise starting with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, before taking on the responsibility of its major crossover projects like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. The pair have since left the MCU behind them, and Joe Russo explained why actually loves being in the dark about the next slate of stories.
The Russo Brothers did the impossible with their pair of Avengers movies, as well as Captain America: Civil War. They were able to service a massive cast of characters, while breaking box office records and capturing the attention of countless moviegoers. And now that their time in the driver's seat has come to an end, Joe Russo explained why he loves being able to simply be a fan of the franchise. In his words,
We’re fans, so I love it. I just love being surprised by what’s coming next. We talk to Kevin (Feige) a bit, we text. We’re all really close. But I want to be a fan and just be surprised when I go to the theater or watch something on Disney+ the same way I was with The Mandalorian and was surprised at the end of Season 2 with everybody else.
Well, there you have it. While Joe Russo once held a position of great power at Marvel Studios, it seems that having some space will allow him to fully enjoy future installments as an audience member. And with WandaVision just around the corner, the director/writer/producer will be able to experience that joy in a matter of days.
Joe Russo's comments to Uproxx show what it's really like working on Marvel movies, and how even the higher ups in the studio are ultimately fans of the work itself. And now that he and his brother and collaborator Anthony are stepping away from the franchise for the first time, they'll likely have plenty more exciting surprises akin to the wild finale of The Mandalorian Season 2.
The Russo Brothers' work in the MCU, as well as The Mandalorian, are currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
MAJOR spoilers ahead for The Mandalorian's Season 2 finale.
Joe Russo specifically mentioned the wild twist ending of The Mandalorian's second season. Fans new and old were delighted to see the surprise appearance of Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker, with Russo in the dark about this twist just the general public. In his same interview he went on to explain how fun it was to be an audience member, which is an experience he's going to repeat with the MCU's future installments on the small and silver screens. As he put it,
I texted (Jon) Favreau after I watched the ending and said, ‘That’s one of the best moments of the last 10 years as a fan for me. Thank you.' So it’s good to, as fun as it was to work in the Marvel universe, it’s equally as fun to be on the outside and getting as excited as everyone else about what’s coming.
Luckily The Russo Brothers will get to geek out like the rest of us when WandaVision hits Disney+ this week. The show will mark the first live-action MCU series to hit the streaming service, and is expected to tie directly into future movie projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That highly anticipated show will also seemingly kick off Phase Four, which was supposed to begin with Black Widow.
Fans are eager to dive back into the MCU, especially after the wild events of Avengers: Endgame. There are a number of exciting crossovers coming up, although there's no indication when a large scale event like The Avengers might occur. Could The Russos be convinced to return? Only time will tell. In the meantime, Joe Russo and his brother are enjoying being in the audience.
Black Widow will hit theaters May 7th, while WandaVision debuts on Disney+ January 15th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
