Anthony Russo has opened up about one of the biggest creative challenges facing the Marvel Cinematic Universe: finding new directions for characters who have already spent years becoming deeply familiar to audiences.
The filmmaker, who is co-directing the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday with his brother Joe Russo, said evolving established Marvel heroes is a “very difficult” part of the filmmaking process because the characters already carry extensive histories and strong connections with fans.
Speaking during a question-and-answer session following a screening of Avengers: Endgame Encore, Russo explained that he and Joe ultimately have to rely on their own creative judgment. They are longtime fans of the characters themselves, while also recognizing that audiences have very different ideas about how those heroes should develop.
Russo pointed out that Marvel fandom does not have a single opinion about its characters. Different audiences respond to different versions of the heroes, creating a complicated creative challenge for filmmakers attempting to move the stories forward without losing what made the characters popular in the first place.
At the same time, Russo said he and Joe have enormous respect for the storytelling journeys the characters have already experienced. Rather than simply repeating those established versions, however, the brothers want to push the heroes into situations that can surprise both themselves and audiences.
That approach could be particularly important for Avengers: Doomsday, which is bringing together characters from different eras of the MCU while introducing major changes to the franchise’s larger story.
The film has already generated attention through its returning cast and its dramatic presentation of familiar characters. Chris Hemsworth is returning as Thor, while Robert Downey Jr. is taking on the role of Doctor Doom. Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Simu Liu and Tom Hiddleston are also among the confirmed cast members.
Russo also acknowledged that the movie’s cast is so large that even he has difficulty keeping track of which actors have already been publicly announced. He indicated that the full lineup has not yet been revealed.
The challenge of reinventing established heroes is especially significant for a franchise that has accumulated years of interconnected stories. Audiences already have expectations about how characters should behave, what relationships should look like and which elements of their personalities should remain unchanged.
For the Russo brothers, however, preserving those expectations completely could limit the possibilities for future storytelling. Their comments suggest that Avengers: Doomsday will attempt to retain the history of Marvel’s heroes while placing them in circumstances that reveal different sides of their personalities and abilities.
The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Dec. 18, 2026.
As Marvel prepares another major ensemble film, Russo’s comments highlight the balance at the centre of the project: respecting characters audiences already know while finding enough new territory to make their next chapter feel different.
