Fresh from career highs at Marvel with their work on Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, as well as their most recent endeavor through their independent production company AGBO, directors Joe and Anthony Russo occupy high positions in the industry. From this point of view, the two have a unique perspective on the development of the industry, especially at their alma mater – Marvel Studios.
Even with the duo seemingly done with Marvel, they still have a lot more to say about the company. Recently, the director couple opened up about the circumstances in which Marvel wrested control from the creators, as well as the unique talent and reaction cues of Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige.
Russo at Disney’s Push on Marvel & IP
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, brothers Anthony and Joe Russo answered questions about their thoughts on industry developments, including Disney’s recent approach with Marvel.
Talking more specifically about their thoughts on the various distribution options available to filmmakers, the duo opened up about their current experiences and approaches to distribution, with Anthony sharing that they “have no investment in any of those models.”
The brothers then discussed the “reinforced conservative approach” that companies like Disney have taken to managing intellectual property. Joe Russo points out that Disney’s low-stakes creative strategy will further increase Marvel’s output over the next decade, a plan many fans believe is the biggest reason why Phase 4 of the MCU has fallen into disrepair.
The comments made by the Russo brothers are quite enlightening, helping to illustrate the fluid and malleable state of the industry. In terms of distribution, it seems Russo’s is one of the few well-known creatives to embrace the shift towards streaming. Even if they may still be involved in creating experiences for the big screen, they are at least open to smaller theater windows.