After the Russo Brothers’ record success with Avengers: Endgame, they became Hollywood’s most popular filmmakers. Constant requests from each production company poured into their office, and when they were in front of the interviewer’s microphone, the question was always, “When are you going to work for Marvel again?” Successful, but not silly, the Russo Brothers took their reputation and funneled it back into their own production company, AGBO. Needless to say, the producers have a lot of work ahead of them, but as directors, they’ve taken a step back from the spectacular world of superheroes and Marvel.
In recent years, in addition to pumping money into similar A24-style indie film projects, the Russo Brothers made a spy flick for Netflix, The Gray Man. And naturally for what the brothers are famous for, Netflix is looking to expand the single action flick into an entire universe of spy movies. Because the Russo Brothers are known for Marvel, and Marvel is known for being the most successful movie franchise in history.
So it follows that anyone looking to hire Joe and Anthony Russo is looking to create their own fictional cosmos. The brothers draw inspiration from a number of different things. With their next production, The Electric State, just around the corner, one wonders if we’ll see a Hollywood in Russian colors in the future.
Russian ethics
AGBO
The Russo Brothers’ directing style mirrors their experience at Marvel. While working for Disney, the focus of their talent was focused on creating a film that could expand into other films. The reason the two are so desirable now is that they’ve learned how to create not just one movie, but an entire ecosystem of movies that communicate and interact effectively. Now that they’ve left Disney, they’ve said they probably won’t do anything more for Marvel until the end of the decade, and it shows.
The Gray Man has a distinct lack of visual effects and large computer-generated landscapes. What we see in this is an opportunity for the Russo Brothers to escape billion-dollar productions and – while they still have ample budgets – a chance to return to the more visceral act of filmmaking. .
With a Hollywood reputation secure, the Russo Brothers began investing in more artistic films and working with artists more than producers. Their studio AGBO is known to be quite artist-friendly. And working with studios like A24 has helped them gain a reputation for respecting the art of filmmaking, instead of selling themselves to a producer-friendly perspective on the industry. The Russo Brothers took their success and passed it on to artists who once looked like them.
Now that they are in the position of producers, they can share their resources with enough empathy and appreciation for the arts to retain the title of artists themselves. During their tenure at Disney, they haven’t forgotten their artistic roots, and now that they’re successful, they won’t be adding another face to the sea of movie executives.
If the future of the film industry lies in these vast, interconnected franchises, the Russo Brothers are the most desirable filmmakers in this genre. And not only are they popular, but they are also committed to defending artists.
When Zoe Saldaña was filming Infinity War and Endgame, Variety reports that the Russo Brothers pulled her aside: “They looked me in the eye and said, ‘If you ever have a project, you have to rely on us. because we’re gonna have your back. She adds, “They really build strong, solid relationships with actors who want to grow their craft. Not just as an actor, but as producers, writers and directors.
The Russian style
netflix
With the way things are going right now, it looks like the Russo Brothers are likely to create more of these cinematic universes. Netflix is eager to expand the world of The Gray Man, and their new in-house production, The Electric State, is based on a ready-to-expand illustration book. His inspiration was drawn from a book of illustrations that involve a very light narrative and open to great interpretation. It creates a setting large enough to house a number of stories in an eerie alternate past with a retro-futuristic vibe.
But while it’s encouraging to see successful filmmakers staying true to their artistic roots, the Russos still have doubts about the future of filmmaking. “Film is going to morph into another medium,” says Joe. “I don’t know what those media will be. I guess when you can sit down in your house, turn to one of the actors standing in front of you and say, “Hey, Tom Cruise, wait a second. Tell me how you filmed this scene.’ »
Despite this disturbing technological change, the Russo Brothers have no plan to stop the change. On the contrary, they seek only to prepare for it. They plan to keep AGBO fully independent and exert their influence well in this changing landscape of streaming and movies. But it’s good to know that they plan to do so in an ethical way and with an emphasis on artistic independence.