The Russo Brothers Are Hinting at More MCU Films With Robert Downey Jr., and Fans Can’t Stop Talking About It

Few creative partnerships in blockbuster filmmaking have felt as electric as the one between Joe and Anthony Russo and Robert Downey Jr. Together, they helped reshape what a superhero movie could be, building toward some of the most ambitious ensemble storytelling Hollywood has ever seen. That bond, it turns out, is far from finished, and a new interview is making Marvel fans very, very excited.

The Russo Brothers officially returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after it was announced they would helm ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and its follow-up ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, bringing with them the bombshell reveal that Robert Downey Jr. would be joining them, this time stepping into the metal boots of Victor Von Doom rather than the Iron Man armor. The announcement shook San Diego Comic-Con to its foundations and sent shockwaves across every corner of the internet. But that, apparently, was only the beginning.

In a freshly published interview with CBR conducted ahead of the release of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, Joe Russo opened up about his creative relationship with Downey in terms that go well beyond the two films already confirmed. “We’ve been very fortunate enough as collaborators, Robert and I, to be able to do this over and over again,” Russo told CBR. “And, knock on wood, we can do it two more times.” That single offhand comment, wrapped in the kind of casual optimism that tends to make Marvel fans lose their minds, is now the talk of the fandom.

The history between the Russos and Downey is one of the most storied in franchise filmmaking. Downey played Tony Stark in 10 Marvel films over 11 years, including two standalone sequels and four ‘Avengers’ movies, before the character made his final sacrifice in ‘Avengers: Endgame’. The Russos directed four of those films and in doing so became the studio’s highest-grossing directors with over six billion dollars in global earnings. That track record is not something Marvel walks away from lightly, and evidently, neither side has any interest in doing so.

What makes the current chapter even more compelling is how deliberately the three of them appear to be approaching it. Joe Russo described Downey as deeply immersed in the development of Doctor Doom, writing backstory and generating costume ideas, driven by what Russo called a love for rich, three-dimensional characters and a genuine sense of opportunity in the role. That level of investment from a performer of Downey’s calibre signals that this is not simply a nostalgia play. It is a full creative reinvention.

The Russos have been unusually candid about the ambition behind what they are building. Speaking at SXSW London, Joe Russo declared that the MCU is essentially back to phase zero with ‘Doomsday’, framing it as a genuine reset rather than a continuation, one designed so that audiences who have never seen a Marvel film can walk in and feel something. That is a bold promise given how much connective tissue the franchise has accumulated over nearly two decades.

At the same SXSW London event, the brothers also revealed that Downey’s Doctor Doom costume is their personal favorite out of all five Marvel films they have directed, a detail that feels meaningful given how visually iconic many of those earlier designs became. Meanwhile, the first full-length trailer unveiled at CinemaCon confirmed that Chris Evans is also returning as the original Steve Rogers, alongside what appears to be a significant presence from the former 20th Century Fox X-Men roster.

The comment from Joe Russo that has set social media alight is careful in its phrasing. It is not a confirmation, not an announcement, and not a contract. It is the kind of warm, forward-looking optimism between long-time collaborators who clearly enjoy working together and are not closing any doors. For context, only two ‘Avengers’ films are currently confirmed beyond ‘Doomsday’, meaning ‘Secret Wars’ in 2027 is already accounted for, and no further entries in the series have been officially announced.

Still, in Marvel fandom terms, “knock on wood, we can do it two more times” lands somewhere between a tease and a treaty. Downey himself expressed excitement about the creative direction the trio is charting, pointing to a desire to connect with audiences from the ground up rather than leaning on the legacy of what came before. That framing, combined with Russo’s remark about doing it two more times, suggests both men are thinking about longevity, not just a one-off return.

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is currently scheduled for December 18 of this year. Whether the partnership extends beyond ‘Secret Wars’ remains to be seen, but it is increasingly clear that no one involved is treating this as a farewell. Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know if you think the Russo Brothers and RDJ have another era of MCU magic ahead of them.

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