Despite stepping away from Marvel Studios after Avengers: Endgame, Joe and Anthony Russo are already making noises about a potential return to the MCU, namechecking a handful of previously Fox-owned characters that could persuade them back into the director’s chair.
Speaking to SyFy on what could bring them into the fold after helming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Endgame, Joe Russo said: “I grew up on [John] Byrne's X-Men run. Ben Grimm was a favourite character growing up: The Thing. And Fantastic Four is now in the Marvel fold. There's a lot.”
Each of those properties – X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Silver Surfer – were under Fox’s stewardship until this year’s takeover by Disney, which now sees the movie rights for each character revert back to Marvel.
The younger Russo Brother also further expanded on the idea of a Silver Surfer movie: “Silver Surfer is an amazing character. Going really big in cosmic would be a lot of fun. So, there's a lot of things that could attract us.”
The Russos previously told GamesRadar back in April that they were done with the MCU after Endgame, with Anthony Russo explaining, “It’s our Endgame, at least for now. We don’t have any plans for now to make any more Marvel movies.”
Despite seeming fairly definitive, the pair sound more open to directing a Marvel movie for the fifth time, a record for any franchise. Joe Russo now admits: “I'm sure we'll find something that we can do together soon."
Whether it’s Silver Surfer, Marvel’s First Family, or a handful of mutants that could bring the Russos back, it’s clear that the pair are very much leaving their options open for yet another superhero saga.
See where Avengers: Endgame ends up on our new, revamped list of the best superhero movies.
