The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is poised for a thrilling new chapter, with directors Anthony and Joe Russo at the helm of the upcoming films, *Avengers: Doomsday* and *Avengers: Secret Wars*. In a recent interview with Brazilian outlet Omelete, the Russo brothers shared insights into how these projects will diverge from their previous successes, *Avengers: Infinity War* and *Avengers: Endgame*.

Joe Russo expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to conclude a 20-movie arc with *Infinity War* and *Endgame*, and now they are eager to embark on a fresh journey with *Doomsday* and *Secret Wars*. "The greatest thing that ever happened is we got to get immersed in a 20 movie arc and see an ending to that arc," Joe Russo remarked. "What's compelling about these two new Avengers movies is they're a beginning. It's a new beginning. We told an ending story [with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame] and now we're going to tell a beginning story. Who knows where we’ll go from there?"

The duo also shed light on their return to the MCU. Anthony Russo explained, "We didn’t know what our road forward was in the MCU after we finished Endgame. What happened was, a creative idea just came to us and that ended up feeling like the right idea. It motivated us to do it again. We feel like we have something fresh, we feel like we have a story that’s important and needs to be told. We have an amazing group of collaborators again, some old and some new. We’re very excited."

Joe Russo highlighted the challenges of *Doomsday*, noting the high expectations to revitalize the theatrical experience post-COVID. He also revealed that Marvel producer Kevin Feige proposed bringing back Robert Downey Jr. for the film. "That conversation was had a while ago, and Robert tried to talk us into doing it and we said no," Joe stated. "We just didn’t have a story, we didn’t have a way in, so we were resistant for a while. And then one day, [Endgame writer] Steve McFeely called us and said, ‘I have an idea.’"

Who Will Be the New Avengers in the MCU?

15 Images

Joe Russo concluded the interview by emphasizing their approach to character development, particularly with villains. "The only thing I’ll say about the movie is this: we love villains who think they’re the heroes of their own stories," he said. "That’s when they become three-dimensional and they become more interesting. When you have an actor like Robert Downey, you have to create a three-dimensional, well-shaped character for the audience. That’s where a lot of our focus is going."

*Avengers: Doomsday* is slated for a theatrical release on May 1, 2026, followed by *Secret Wars* on May 2027. Fans will need to wait patiently to witness the Russo brothers' next vision for the MCU.

In other MCU news, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has teased the integration of X-Men characters into the franchise. Speaking at the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, Feige hinted that "some X-Men players that you might recognize" will appear in upcoming MCU films. He further elaborated on the future role of the X-Men post-*Secret Wars*, stating, "When we were preparing for Avengers: Endgame years ago, it was a question of getting to the grand finale of our narrative, and then we had to start all over again after that. This time, on the road to Secret Wars, we already know very well what the story is going to be until then and afterwards. The X-Men are an important part of that future."

It appears that Phase 7 of the MCU will be heavily influenced by the X-Men, with Storm making her first appearance in the broader universe in *What If...? Season 3*. Additionally, Marvel Studios has added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 release schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028, with speculation that one of these could be an X-Men film.