So, it’s pretty obvious that Marvel trusts the Russo Brothers. They signed them on to Captain America 3 before Captain America: Winter Soldier even hit theaters, as savvy move considering how well that film was received by audiences and critics. But are they good enough to replace Joss Whedon on the Avengers franchise? We might just find that out in the future.
Devin Faraci over in his examination of the news Robert Downey Jr. has signed for Captain America 3 over at Badass Digest, drops the bombshell that the Russos are in negotiations to take the reigns from Whedon starting with Avengers 3 and leading the franchise at least through Avengers 4.
Since Captain America 3 will lead heavily into Avengers 3, having the Russos take over will provided a seamless tie between the two. But it seems almost sacrosanct for anyone one else besides Whedon to helm an Avengers film.
Faraci also lets us know that the Avengers after Avengers: Age of Ultron will consist of Cap, Falcon, War Machine, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Black Widow, and possibly The Vision. The team will be Cap-less as it goes into Avengers 3, as Cap doesn’t make it out of Cap 3. Since they are supposedly adapting the Civil War arc from the comics, and Captain America was killed (temporarily) at the end of that arc, one could assume that the same thing would happen here. But we all know what happens when one assumes, don’t we?
He also has a theory on how the Civil War will play out in the films:
How will Civil War play out? I know that at the end of Age of Ultron Tony Stark retires from The Avengers and possibly even from being Iron Man. He feels very responsible for what happened in that film, as the Ultron project was his brainchild. Here’s my guess for Cap 3: with that in mind, and aware of the destruction his out of control robot caused, Tony thinks that the Age of Miracles is too unregulated. With the fall of SHIELD there’s simply no one keeping tabs on everybody. That scene of Black Widow in front of the Congressional committee in The WInter Soldier was a late addition, and it speaks to this – these super beings are answering to no one. And Tony decides that’s wrong. Which brings him into direct conflict with Captain America, who is still leading a team of Avengers. I don’t think this will follow the exact outline of the comic book story, but simply take the concept and the beloved Marvel idea of heroes battling.
I have a few issues with this theory. Stark has has problems with authority in Iron Man 2 (where he didn’t want to hand over his Iron Man technology to the government) and The Avengers (where he hacked into SHIELD to get info he felt Fury was hiding from the heroes). I don’t see him spearheading a program where a government agency will act as a Big Brother for the world’s heroes. I do see him providing funding to Agent Coulson’s SHIELD, which Faraci seems to forget already keeps tabs on everybody they can afford too every Tuesday night. The team’s poor financial situation is a major plot point. I’m sure Stark would be willing to help his friend Coulson out, if and when he finds out he is alive (possibly in a heavily promoted cameo during a sweeps week.) On the other hand, Cap was adamant in Winter Soldier that SHIELD not return in any way, shape or form. To find out that the organization is back and being bank rolled by Stark, boom, instant conflict.
Of course, that is just my theory. Feel free to come up with yours.
