Summary
Marvel Studios hasendured plenty of hiccupsamong its recent productions. WhileBladehas had the most issues pre-production,Captain America: Brave New Worldhas had its fair share of issues during production. The movie, much like its predecessor series,Falcon and the Winter Soldier, has undergone extensive reshoots withearly showingsreportedly having received less-than-stellar feedback. However, a new rumor might show promise for the fourthCaptain Americainstallment.
A new rumor has suggested Anthony and Joe Russo are among the producers ofCaptain America: Brave New World. While the rumor has yet to be confirmed, and may very well be nonsense, it begs the question: Can the director-producer duo potentially saveCaptain America: Brave New World?
Are the Russo Brothers Involved in Brave New World?
The Russo brothers helped to take theCaptain Americafranchise to new heights withthe critically-acclaimedCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. The film, which introduced Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, was hailed not just for its storytelling, but also for its excellent action on screen. They would later return to directCaptain America: Civil War, bringing both Black Panther and Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time. LikeThe Winter Soldier, the movie was well-received and eventually led to the duo signing on to direct bothAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame, which saw Chris Evans' time as Captain America come to an end as he passed the shield onto Sam. Unfortunately, though, while the Russo brothers successfully set up Sam’s future turn as Captain America,Falcon and the Winter Soldiernearly set the character’s storyline back. The series ended up having to undergo massive rewrites and reshoots during COVID-19, changing the storyline dramatically and resulting in a series that often felt uneven and unsure of what it wanted to be in the end.
And, unfortunately, it looks as thoughCaptain America: Brave New World is following much of the same. The movie recentlyunderwent extensive reshootsin Atlanta, with the film having brought on writer Matthew Orton to tackle the rewrites for reshoots. Until now, there had been no mention of the Russo brothers being involved in the film, which could mean the rumor is merely that. However, if the Russo brothers were to be involved inBrave New World, it would be a smart move for Marvel. Having them return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after years of focusing on their own projects, would be exciting for fans. Especially forSam’s turn as Captain America, with them having first introduced the character to audiences.
Does the Movie Actually Need the Russo Brothers?
However, while it would be exciting for the Russo brothers to return to theCaptain Americafranchise, it’s hard not to wonder if the franchise actually needs them. Their time with the Marvel Cinematic Universe is long past, and they seem happy with producingtheir own content via their AGBO banner. Although they’ve teased potential interest in returning to the cinematic universe in the past, usually citingSecret Warsas something they would love to tackle, they’ve also been clear that they’re not eager to return just yet. Even more important, it’s worth noting that even if they did return as producers onCaptain America: Brave New World, it might not even mean anything. Let’s look at DC’sWonder Woman 1984andThe Flash, for example. Zack Snyder, who was originally in charge DC’s cinematic universe, wasn’t involved in either film, but still received a producer credit for introducing the characters in theJustice League.
More importantly, though, the Russo brothers weren’t involved in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, so their sudden involvement inCaptain America: Brave New Worldwould make no sense. It would also feel like a disservice to Malcolm Spellman, who has been involved in both the Disney+ series and the upcoming film. Spellman served as the head writer on the Disney+ series, and he is both a co-writer and a producer on the fourthCaptain Americafilm. Despite the hiccups onFalcon and the Winter Soldier, Spellman has been the driving force behind Mackie’s take on Captain America. Bringing in the Russo brothers this late in the process, with Spellman having given Sam a reason to willingly pick up the shield and take on the mantle of Captain America, simply wouldn’t make sense. They weren’t there to oversee the Disney+ series, so would Marvel actually seek to bring them on as producers for the follow-up film? While it remains to be seen whether the duo are involved in the movie, fans can still be excited to see Sam Wilsonteam-up with a brand new Falconin his own solo movie.
Captain America: Brave New Worldis slated to hit theaters on February 14th, 2025. As of this writing, there has not yet been any confirmation that the Russo brothers are involved in the movie.
