Doomsday writer initially turns down offer to return to Marvel Universe
The Russo brothers recently revealed to Empire magazine that it was their longtime Marvel writer Stephen McFeely who came up with the idea after Avengers: Endgame, luring them back to the MCU to direct the upcoming The Avengers movies “Armageddon” and “The Avengers” are in theaters. Secret Wars. ” However, McFeely initially turned down the chance to write more Marvel movies, saying a blunt “fuck no” to Joe and Anthony Russo.
“'Endgame' is the end, and it took us a little while to start seeing it as something other than an end,” Anthony Russo said. “What really happened is we finally stumbled upon an idea that inspired all of us. You can't see it coming until it comes, and once it comes you're like, 'Okay, this is what we need to tell '”
“We had tried to understand some ideas before this, but we just never found the story,” Joe Russo added. “I remember calling Steve and saying, 'Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all went back and made Secret Wars?' And you said, 'Fuck, no.' Absolutely not.” Then you hung up the phone. At 7:30 the next morning, you call and say, 'Okay, I have an idea. '”
“Avengers: Doomsday” and “Secret Wars” are written by McFeely and Christopher Markus, longtime Marvel writers who created “Agent Carter,” the three “Captain America” movies, and Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Four of the films will be directed by the Russo brothers. While McFeely's full ideas for the next Avengers movie have yet to be revealed, they do include the return of Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. to the MCU as villain Doctor Doom.
Joe Russo previously revealed to GamesRadar+ that the filmmakers and Downey were already discussing another project with Marvel when the idea for Doomsday and Secret Wars was brought up and became irresistible.
“If we don't feel like our story has the potential to be on par with Infinity War and Endgame unless there's a core of a really explosive idea there, then why would we come back?” Joe said.
The Russo brothers are once again teaming up with McFeely and Markus to produce the upcoming Netflix film The Electric State, which will be released on March 14. Meanwhile, “Avengers: Doomsday” is on Disney's May 1, 2026 release calendar and will go into production this year.