AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Directors Say They Came Back To Marvel To Continue Steve Rogers’ Story With Chris Evans
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is pulling off another big swing with Avengers: Doomsday, and after stepping away following Avengers: Endgame, Joe Russo and Anthony Russo are back in the director’s chair, and now we’ve got a clearer idea why.
It all comes down to one character they couldn’t walk away from, Steve Rogers. Joe Russo recently opened up about what brought them back into the MCU fold, and he said it was about picking up a thread they weren’t ready to leave behind.
"[Steve Rogers] was a character we spent a lot of time with over the years," Joe Russo told Fandango after CinemaCon's big Avengers: Doomsday trailer reveal.
"It just felt to us like the correct way for us to come back would be to continue that story of that character [and] to work with [Robert Downey Jr.] again, and to move the story forward.
“I think that's the thing that really excited all of us: we found a path forward that really was integral, really required both Chris and Robert for the story to be told."
That’s an interesting statement, especially considering how definitively Steve Rogers’ story seemed to wrap in Endgame. But, Marvel clearly isn’t done with him yet.
The Russos have a long history with Chris Evans, dating back to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, then Captain America: Civil War, and culminating in both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. They helped shape Cap into one of the emotional anchors of the MCU, so if anyone’s going to bring him back in a meaningful way, it’s them.
And Marvel isn’t being subtle about it either. The first teaser for Doomsday puts Steve Rogers front and center, showing him back home, holding his child. Then in the CinemaCon footage we see he has a significant role, even reconnecting with Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth.
That suggests we’re getting more than a reflective epilogue for Cap. This sounds like a full-on return to action.
Of course, let’s not pretend passion was the only factor here. Marvel reportedly dropped a massive payday to bring the Russos back, with numbers floating around $80 million. They’re not talking about it publicly, but it’s hard to ignore that kind of incentive. Still, money alone doesn’t crack the story. If they’re back, it’s because they found something worth telling.
The cast for Doomsday is shaping up to be massive. Alongside Evans, you’ve got returning Avengers, newer heroes, and even legacy X-Men characters stepping into the mix.
All of this points to Avengers: Doomsday being one of Marvel’s biggest movie events yet, and anchoring it all around Steve Rogers again gives it a strong emotional core that longtime fans can latch onto.
Whether you’re excited about Cap’s return or a little skeptical about seeing him return, one thing is clear. The Russos didn’t come back just to revisit old ground. They’re aiming to push things forward, and if they pull it off, Doomsday could end up being something pretty awesome.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, going head-to-head with Dune: Part Three in what’s shaping up to be a wild weekend at the box office.