It was so much easier when Avengers: Infinity War was just a two-part movie, but ever since we learned otherwise intense speculation has been on the Avengers 4 title. And for good reason, it's been teased as a major spoiler if revealed, which is why nobody is even coming close to spill the beans. That goes double for the Russo Brothers, who just saw Infinity War open with an absolutely mind-blowing $640M worldwide. You'd think they'd be ready to share, but instead they told Bustle a whole bunch of nothing...
“We do have a name for it, we’re just not announcing it … and I think we came to that name fairly early in the development process. It speaks to the heart of the story.”
I've maintained it'll be something like Avengers: Secret Wars, but after seeing Infinity War I'm not so sure. That said, I hope it's something better than 'Endgame', which is what some are beginning to theorize. That title sucks. One thing is for sure, there has been so much guessing about the title that nothing Marvel comes up with will measure up. At least Kevin Feige realizes it, telling IGN that his strategy of keeping it secret has "backfired" monumentally...
“[Now it] will have no chance [of] living up to any expectations of what it’s gonna be."
Sure won't. Enjoy the backlash whatever you call it.
Going back to the Russos, their dance card is pretty full after Avengers 4 but it won't be with anything Marvel related. The brothers have started a new studio venture alongside Infinity War writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, with multiple projects lined up already. And they aren't starting small, they're sticking with what has earned them billions of box office dollars already, and that's major tentpole films. They tell Empire...
“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.”
It makes sense. The Russos began their career with smaller comedies, the little-seen Welcome to Collinwood (with George Clooney) and the mildly successful You, Me and Dupree with Owen Wilson. From there they hit it big with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, becoming Marvel's major home run hitters in the process. Now it's time to take what they've learned and put it to their own benefit.
What they have lined up sounds pretty impressive. Matthew Carnahan (House of Lies) will be making his directorial debut on a new film. There's also a reunion with Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, that will land at Netflix. There's also The Electric State, a previously-announced collaboration with It director Andy Muschietti.
Hopefully they all find their way back to Marvel at some point. The Russos have changed the way Marvel makes movies, and nobody does action scenes quite like them. They have an eye for it that few directors can touch. For now we'll have to settle for seeing Infinity War a few more times in theaters, until Avengers 4 opens next year on May 3rd.
