Today, a report has revealed that Marvel Studios has begun early talks with The Russo Brothers to return and direct Avengers 5 (previously titled The Kang Dynasty) and Avengers: Secret Wars. The duo is best known for directing Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War before tackling Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame in 2019. This comes off a months-long search for a director on both projects after Destin Daniel Cretton exited Avengers 5 to focus on Shang-Chi 2. Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was also looked at by the studio but passed on the project. Screenwriter Michael Waldron has also exited writing Avengers 5, so it’s possible previous Avengers writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely may also return. Waldron is still attached to pen Avengers: Secret Wars.
The directing duo are an extremely safe option to direct these films due to their previous work with Marvel and Kevin Feige. However, their most recent original films, Cherry, starring Tom Holland, and The Gray Man, starring Chris Evans, have not done very well at the box office or on streaming. The two have long said they would like to return to Marvel (specifically for Secret Wars) but wouldn’t be available until 2030 at the earliest. Obviously, schedules have changed, with the two now looking to begin production on Avengers 5 sometime in early 2025. Avengers 5 is also expected to move away from Kang the Conquerer as the main villain due to the studio parting ways with actor Jonathan Majors.
Avengers 5 slated to hit theaters on May 1st, 2026: Avengers: Secret Wars is slated to hit theaters on May 7th, 2027
Source: The Hollywood Reporter