‘Secret Wars’ Screenwriter First Told the Russos ‘F—k No’ to MCU Movie, but Changed His Mind the Next Day

“You hung up, and the next morning at 7:30 you called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea,'” Anthony Russo recalls with Stephen McFeely

Anthony Russo (l-r) and Joe Russo arrive at the special screening of Netflix's film "The Gray Man." Photo: Monika Skolimowska/dpa (Photo by Monika Skolimowska/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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MCU writer Stephen McFeely initially turned down a pitch to return to the “Avengers” franchise with upcoming films “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” but walked back his decision the very next day.

“I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do ‘Secret Wars?’” Joe Russo told Empire Magazine in a joint interview with his co-director and screenwriter. “You were like, ‘F—k no. Absolutely not.’ And then you hung up. And the next morning at 7:30 you called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea.’”

Joe and Anthony Russo said they’d had many conversations with the Marvel camp over the years about new storylines, but the “Secret Wars” arc stuck.

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