Endgame Directors Were Shocked By One Surprising Aspect Of Making Movies

Avengers: Endgame directors the Russo brothers reveal what they wish they had known back at the beginning of their careers. At this point, Joe and Anthony Russo are more or less synonymous with the biggest moments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its post-Joss Whedon era. They originally joined the franchise to helm Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014, going on to direct 2016's follow-up Captain America: Civil War, which was the largest crossover event since Avengers: Age of Ulton, even introducing new hero Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). They then helmed the massive crossovers films Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, with Endgame's box office run going on to make it the second-highest grossing film of all time worldwide.

Although the bulk of their recent success has come from Marvel, the filmmaking duo have collaborated on many other projects, both as directors and producers. They have worked closely with MCU stars over the year, bringing them onto other projects including Chris Hemsworth in Extraction (which they produced and Joe co-wrote), Tom Holland in Cherry (which they directed and produced), and Boseman in 21 Bridges (which they produced). Their latest directorial effort, which launched on Netflix on July 22, 2022, was the splashy The Gray Man, which features Chris Evans in a villain role.

The Russos recently appeared on an episode of The Edge Podcast with host Teo Van Den Broeke. When asked what they wish they'd known at the beginning of the careers, Joe jokes that filmmaking takes a physical toll, and he would have "eaten less pizza along the way." Anthony takes a more philosophical approach, discussing how each movie is "an opportunity to take us somewhere we haven’t gone before." Read their full quotes below:

Joe Russo: Is there anything at the start of our careers that I wish I’d known that I know now? There’s this famous story where a young filmmaker had asked Steven Spielberg, “Steven, I just got my first movie. Can you give me any advice?” He said, “Yeah, get a physical trainer cuz it’s gonna beat you up.” The physical toll that it takes on you is dramatic, so I guess I would’ve eaten less pizza along the way.

Anthony Russo: I mean the physical endurance is a strong one for sure. I sort of feel like, my entire career, I really love the process of discovery that’s inherent in this kind of work. And I like the fact that each movie is an opportunity to take us somewhere we haven’t gone before. Psychologically, philosophically, intellectually, or even physically.

Joe's joking response feels much more in tune with where the Russos' career was before they became so deeply involved in the world of the Avengers. They actually cut their teeth on TV comedy, a realm where they worked for many years. They amassed credits on quite a few of the most popular sitcoms of the past twenty years, including Fox's Arrested Development, ABC's Happy Endings, and NBC's Community.

The Russos might not have taken the question entirely seriously, but Joe's quote is certainly true. Filmmaking has afforded the brothers the opportunity to explore different parts of the world, create ambitious visions, and meet all kinds of iconic performers. They likely never would have been able to do any of these things without joining the MCU and embracing their place there.

Next: Phase 5 Can't Repeat Phase 4, No Matter What The Russos Think

Source: The Edge Podcast