Marvel directors Joe and Anthony Russo talk about capping off the long-running narrative they started in Captain America: The Winter Soldier in the still-untitled Avengers 4.

Teaming up with Captain America trilogy scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely for the third and fourth time, the Russos have the massive task of culminating the 22-film-arc that the MCU has been treading since 2008’s Iron Man. But for the two personally, the films will complete the personal narrative they’ve been telling since 2014’s highly-acclaimed The Winter Soldier.

Sitting down with Spin 1038 while doing the press rounds for Infinity War in London, the Russos spoke about their experience on working with these Marvel films, especially the last two ones that they’ve filmed back-to-back. Specifically for Avengers 4, Joe has teased on wrapping up the narrative thread that they started in The Winter Soldier.

Anthony backed up his brother’s comments by admitting they weren’t really sure how people would respond to the political thriller genre infused in the superhero sandbox. But after seeing the reception fans had for The Winter Soldier, they went ahead and followed their instinct with regard to the story they’ve been meaning to tell. The result is their unparalleled contribution to the MCU, at least when speaking about filmmakers who have worked on the franchise.

“For us, this was the challenge of telling the story but also completing the personal journey that we started as storytellers in Winter Soldier. So the story that began in Winter Soldier and that ends in Avengers 4 is a, there’s a very personal arc there for us. I think you’ll understand our point of view as filmmakers and who we are as people when you watch all four of those movies together.”

It’s interesting what the Russos mean about finishing the storyline that they started with The Winter Soldier considering that that film was Earth-bound and didn’t touch on the cosmic side of the MCU - something that is pivotal in the twin Avengers sequels given Thanos’ origins. But in hindsight, all of their films have one thing in common - they shake things up and change the established status quo in the MCU. Cap 2 dismantled S.H.I.E.L.D. which was the driving force in Phase 1 films; Captain America: Civil War disassembled the Avengers following Stark and Rogers’ conflict; while Infinity War and Avengers 4 could literally obliterate Earth.

“Yes, that was a revelation for us, to be honest with you, because we didn’t know going into Winter Soldier. We knew why we wanted to make the movie. We knew what we loved about the character. We knew where we wanted to take it and what we wanted to do with that movie. But we didn’t know how anybody else in the world would respond. So, having the movie received like that was a validation for Joe and me that we should just stick with our instincts and our passion for the material and run with that. And hopefully, that’s what’s going to translate to audiences.”

Otherwise, they might have also meant wrapping up the four-film-arc in the franchise which was kickstarted in Cap 2.  Regardless, what’s clear is that Joe and Anthony will go down in Marvel Studios history as one (or two) of the most influential directors that have ever worked in the film series given that their forthcoming projects will be the springboard that will launch the MCU to a brand new chapter come Phase 4.

MORE: Infinity War Theory: Thanos Will Cause His Own Defeat, Not The Avengers

Source: Spin 1038

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