Marvel is bringing the Russo bros. back to direct the next two Avengers films

Following reports that the Russo brothers were in talks to helm more features for Marvel, the studio confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that the pair will be directing two new Avengers films.

During Marvel’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the studio announced that the Russo brothers have signed on to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars — the former of which will see Robert Downey Jr. return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. Doomsday is due out in May 2026, while Secret Wars will follow in May 2027.

The very surprising pivot to Doctor Doom comes after a number of setbacks for The Kang Dynasty — Marvel’s previously announced (and now seemingly sidelined) Avengers film. Last fall, after news broke that Marvel was delaying The Kang Dynasty’s premiere by a full year, Destin Daniel Cretton and Michael Waldron stepped down as the film’s original director and writer, respectively.

Jeff Loveness signed on to pen a script shortly after Waldron’s exit, but the film’s fate seemed even more uncertain following Marvel’s decision to fire actor Jonathan Majors — who played Kang in Disney Plus’ Loki series and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — for his involvement in a domestic violence case.

Doctor Doom showing up just as the Fantastic Four are about to arrive makes it seem like Marvel’s been cooking up a plan to send its beleaguered Multiverse Saga off with a bang — one that’s probably going to be orchestrated by a guy who looks just like Iron Man.