Joe Russo

Prior to their Marvel work, the brothers directed and produced the comedy series Arrested Development (2003–2005), Community (2009–2014), and Happy Endings (2011–2012), winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Arrested Development. The brothers co-founded the independent film studio AGBO, which produced their Netflix directorial projects The Gray Man (2022) and The Electric State (2025). They also directed Cherry (2021), and have produced several films through AGBO, including Extraction (2020) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), the latter of which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The brothers are currently directing the next two Avengers installments, Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).

• Name — Russo brothers • Landscape — yes • Born — Anthony J. Russo 1970 02 03 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Joseph Vincent Russo 1971 07 18 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. • Education — Anthony: Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania Joe: University of California, Los Angeles, University of Iowa Both: Case Western Reserve University • Occupation — * Directors • producers • screenwriters • actors • Years Active — 1997–present • Father — Basil Russo • Relatives — Angela Russo-Otstot (sister) Anthony J. Russo (born February 3, 1970) and Joseph Vincent Russo (born July 18, 1971), collectively known as the Russo brothers, are American filmmakers. They are best known for directing four films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). The pair are the fourth-highest-grossing directors of all time, with Endgame grossing over $2.798 billion worldwide and briefly becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. Prior to their Marvel work, the brothers directed and produced the comedy series Arrested Development (2003–2005), Community (2009–2014), and Happy Endings (2011–2012), winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Arrested Development. The brothers co-founded the independent film studio AGBO, which produced their Netflix directorial projects The Gray Man (2022) and The Electric State (2025). They also directed Cherry (2021), and have produced several films through AGBO, including Extraction (2020) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), the latter of which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The brothers are currently directing the next two Avengers installments, Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).

Anthony J. Russo (born February 3, 1970) and Joseph Vincent Russo (born July 18, 1971) were born to Patricia Gallupoli and attorney and judge Basil Russo in Cleveland, Ohio. Both of their parents are of Italian descent, with families emigrating from Sicily and Abruzzo, respectively. After settling in Ohio, they raised Anthony, Joe, both of whom attended Benedictine High School. After high school, Joe attended the University of Iowa, where he majored in English and writing and graduated in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in English. He became interested in acting after a professor encouraged him to write and perform a monologue for his class. Anthony attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he also majored to English.

After their sophomore film, FX Networks executive Kevin Reilly hired the brothers to direct the pilot for the series Lucky, having liked the pair's work on Welcome to Collinwood. They were also hand-picked by director and producer Ron Howard to direct the pilot for Fox's Arrested Development. The Russos suggested and fought to cast Jason Bateman for the lead role of Michael Bluth, despite studio skepticism toward Bateman. In an interview with /Film, producer Dan Harmon, who hired the Russos to direct the pilot of his TV series Community, praised the Russos' ability to spot talent and cast based on character regardless of status in the industry. He credits the Russo brothers with the idea to cast Donald Glover on the NBC sitcom, calling the brothers "geniuses in casting." The brothers directed 34 episodes of Community, including A Fistful of Paintballs" and "For a Few Paintballs More," which served as the season two finale and received critical acclaim. Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx described the Russo brothers' installment as "nothing short of The Godfather Part II of sitcom episodes".

• Illustration — The Russos in 2013. Their success with Arrested Development and Community put the Russo brothers on the radar of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who brought them into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2014, the Russo brothers directed their first film for Marvel Studios, the action espionage thriller Captain America: The Winter Soldier starring Chris Evans as Captain America. The brothers were in the running against nine other directors to helm the film, which was the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), directed by Joe Johnston. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Joe Russo explained that they were given the script and "fell in love" with the movie, creating storyboards, rewriting scenes, and presenting an animatic to Marvel to get the job. The brothers noted The French Connection, Black Friday, Three Days of the Condor and All the President's Men as their influences in tone and style. The movie was a box office success and received critical acclaim, with Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praising its tackling of serious subject matter and comparing it favorably to The Dark Knight (2008). The film was a financial success earning $714 million worldwide. • Illustration — Joe Russo (center) with Chris Hemsworth (left) and Tom Hiddleston (right) in 2017. The Russo brothers returned to the MCU with Captain America: Civil War (2016), the success of which got them hired on their highest profile projects to date: Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Infinity War would become the first superhero movie to gross over $2 billion at the box office. Endgame was the second superhero movie to surpass that same target, earning $2.799 billion in global box office. After breaking numerous box office records, the Russo brothers joined James Cameron as the only directors to make two films that each earned over $2 billion.

In 2015, it was announced that the Russo brothers would direct a Ghostbusters spin-off film based on a pitch by them, Channing Tatum, and Reid Carolin. Tatum was intended to star with Chris Pratt being considered for a co-leading role. Drew Pearce would write the screenplay while original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman was intended to produce. It was originally set to be developed simultaneously alongside Paul Feig's 2016 reboot. The Russo brothers departed the project a year later due to commitments to Avengers: Infinity War.

In April 2019, it was announced that AGBO and MGM made a deal to collaborate to develop remakes and reboots of films owned by MGM with the Russo brothers acting as "spiritual creative architects." It was reported that the Russos would develop and potentially direct reboots of Poltergeist, The Pink Panther, The Thomas Crown Affair, and The Secret of NIMH.

While promoting The Gray Man in 2022, the Russo brothers expressed interest in directing an experimental musical film. They talked to multiple artists about such a project, including The Weeknd, with Joe Russo citing his 2021 Super Bowl halftime show as a source of inspiration.

Throughout the brothers' careers in television and film, they have consistently collaborated with many of the same actors and filmmakers. Their most prolific creative partners are screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote all four of the Russo-directed Marvel films (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame), as well as The Gray Man and The Electric State. Markus and McFeely currently serve as Co-Presidents of story at AGBO. Their sister Angela Russo-Otstot, a producer and screenwriter, is also a key creative partner. She has worked on numerous AGBO projects and serves as the company's Chief Creative Officer, overseeing development across film and television. On the filmmaking side, the Russos have repeatedly partnered with casting director Sarah Finn, who worked on all four Marvel films, as well as AGBO projects such as Mosul, Extraction, Cherry, The Electric State, and Everything Everywhere All At Once. Musically, they have worked with composer Alan Silvestri on Infinity War, Endgame, and The Electric State, and frequently collaborate with composer Henry Jackman (Winter Soldier, Civil War, Cherry, The Bluff). Stunt coordinator-turned-director Sam Hargrave began his work with the Russos as Chris Evans' stunt double, and was elevated to 2nd unit director on Marvel films before making his directorial debut with Extraction and Extraction 2 under the AGBO banner. • Collaborator — Role — Total — Welcome to Collinwood — You, Me and Dupree — Captain America: The Winter Soldier — Captain America: Civil War — Avengers: Infinity War — Avengers: Endgame — Mosul — 21 Bridges — Extraction — Cherry — Everything Everywhere All at Once — The Gray Man — Extraction 2 — The Electric State — The Bluff — The Whisper Man — Avengers: Doomsday — Avengers: Secret Wars — Extraction 3 • Adam Bessa — Actor — 3 • Chadwick Boseman — Actor — 4 • Angela Russo-Otstot — Writer, producer — 9 • Matthew Michael Carnahan — Writer, director — 2 • Mike Larocca — Producer — 9 • Michael Disco — Producer — 2 • Matthew Schmidt — Editor — 4 • Jeff Groth — Editor — 2 • Chris Castaldi — Assistant director, producer — 8 • Terry Notary — Actor, stunt coordinator — 3 • Billy Gardell — Actor — 2 • Ross Marquand — Actor — 2 • Charles Minsky — Cinematographer — 2 • Michael Douglas — Actor — 2 • Suhail Dabbach — Actor — 2 • Robert Downey Jr. — Actor — 5 • Chris Evans — Actor — 7 • Geoffrey Haley — Camera operator, executive producer — 5 • Sarah Halley Finn — Casting director, producer — 13 • Robert Redford — Actor — 2 • Gwyneth Paltrow — Actress — 2 • Cobie Smulders — Actress — 3 • Ke Huy Quan — Actor — 2 • William Hurt — Actor — 3 • Stephen F. Windon — Cinematographer — 2 • Jeffrey Ford — Editor — 9 • Dennis Gassner — Production designer — 2 • Sam Hargrave — Stunt coordinator, actor, director — 7 • Chris Hemsworth — Actor — 6 • Tom Holland — Actor — 5 • Jacob Batalon — Actor — 2 • Henry Jackman — Composer — 9 • Anthony Mackie — Actor — 7 • Judianna Makovsky — Costume designer — 8 • Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely — Writers, executive producers — 8 • Chris Pratt — Actor — 3 • Zoe Saldaña — Actor — 2 • Danai Gurira — Actress — 2 • Alan Silvestri — Composer — 5 • Trent Opaloch — Cinematographer — 4 • Newton Thomas Sigel — Cinematographer — 3 • Sebastian Stan — Actor — 5 • Letitia Wright — Actress — 4 • Paul Rudd — Actor — 3 • Winston Duke — Actor — 3 • Tom Hiddleston — Actor — 3 • Jeremy Renner — Actor — 3 • Benedict Cumberbatch — Actor — 4 • Hayley Atwell — Actress — 4 • Benedict Wong — Actor — 3 • Scarlett Johansson — Actress — 4 • Frank Grillo — Actor — 3 • Samuel L. Jackson — Actor — 3 • Josh Brolin — Actor — 2 • Paul Bettany — Actor — 3 • Elizabeth Olsen — Actress — 4 • Mark Ruffalo — Actor — 2 • Emily VanCamp — Actress — 2 • Don Cheadle — Actor — 3 • Dave Bautista — Actor — 2 • Pom Klementieff — Actress — 2 • Karen Gillan — Actress — 2 • Bradley Cooper — Actor — 2 • Vin Diesel — Actor — 2 • Marisa Tomei — Actress — 2 • Maximiliano Hernández — Actor — 2 • Callan Mulvey — Actor — 3 • Kerry Condon — Actress — 3 • Florence Kasumba — Actress — 2 • John Slattery — Actor — 2 • Michael James Shaw — Actor, director, writer — 2 • Tom Vaughan-Lawlor — Actor — 2 • Golshifteh Farahani — Actress — 3 • Idris Elba — Actor — 3 • David Harbour — Actor — 2 • Michael Waldron — Writer, producer — 2 • Pedro Pascal — Actor — 2 • Vanessa Kirby — Actress — 2 • Joseph Quinn — Actor — 2 • Ebon Moss-Bachrach — Actor — 2

In 2004, Anthony and Joe Russo won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for the pilot episode of Arrested Development. In 2015, 2017 and 2019, they were nominated jointly for the Saturn Award for Best Director for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame, respectively. In 2015, 2019 and 2020, they were nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, respectively. All nominations were shared with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. They received Dragon Award nominations for "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie" for Captain America: Civil War in 2016 and for Avengers: Infinity War in 2018. The brothers won the Dragon Award in that category for Avengers: Endgame in 2019. On February 21, 2025, the Russo brothers were honored with the handprint and footprint ceremony in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. They were joined by family, friends and colleagues Chris Pratt, Yvette Nicole Brown and Alison Brie.

In January 2025, Joe Russo was announced as a board member and investor of English football club Sheffield United. The club was taken over by the consortium group COH Sports led by fellow American businessmen Steve Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy. Joe was joined on the board of directors by former Cleveland Cavaliers CEO Len Komoroski and real estate figure Terry Ahern.

• Year — Title — Director(s) — Executive producers — Episode(s) • 2003 — Lucky — "Pilot", "Up the Streaks" • 2003–2005 — Arrested Development • 2004–2005 — LAX • 2006 — What About Brian — "Pilot" • 2007–2008 — Carpoolers • 2009 — Comedy Showcase — "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" • 2009–2014 — Community — Episodes • 2010 — Running Wilde — "Pilot" • The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret — Original Comedy Showcase Pilot • 2011–2012 — Happy Endings • Up All Night • 2012 — Animal Practice • 2015 — Agent Carter — Episode: "Bridge and Tunnel" (as Joseph V. Russo) • 2019 — Deadly Class — 10 episodes • Larry Charles' Dangerous World of Comedy — 4 episodes • 2022–present — From — 20 episodes • 2023–present — Citadel — Director of Season 2 Other • Fortnite Battle Royale - Chapter 2, Season 6 opening cinematic (co-directed, March 2021).

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2005 — Arrested Development — Joe — Episode: "Hand to God" • 2006 — You, Me and Dupree — Personnel Manager — Credited as Gozie Agbo • 2014 — Captain America: The Winter Soldier — Dr. Fine — Credited as Gozie Agbo • 2016 — Captain America: Civil War — Dr. Theo Broussard — Credited as Gozie Agbo • 2018 — Avengers: Infinity War — Bert — Deleted scene • 2019 — Avengers: Endgame — Grieving Man — Credited as Gozie Agbo • Thanos — Additional motion-capture only, uncredited • 2020 — The Simpsons — Movie Executive (voice) — Episode: "Bart the Bad Guy" • 2021 — Cherry — Restaurant Owner — Credited as Gozie Agbo • 2022 — The Gray Man — CIA DDO Fine — Credited as Gozie Agbo • 2025 — The Electric State — CNN Reporter / Various Robots (voice)

Joe Russo was born on 8 July 1971 in Cleveland. Russo held the nationality of United States. Russo was educated at Benedictine High School. Recorded sibling: Anthony Russo and Angela Russo-Otstot. Russo worked as film director, television director, screenwriter and actor, and the authority record catalogues a further 4 occupations under the same name, among them director, film screenwriter, editor and film producer. Russo worked in English.

Russo worked for the screen, as film director, screenwriter, film screenwriter and film producer. 47 films survive in the institutional catalogues, spanning 2002 to 2027. Among them are Welcome to Collinwood (2002), Top Banana (2003), Bringing Up Buster (2003), Key Decisions (2003), In God We Trust (2003) and Hand to God (2005). The whole run is set out in the catalogue below.

In 2019, the Russo brothers announced that they would produce and potentially direct a live-action film adaptation of the science fiction anime series Battle of the Planets. In 2021, screenwriter Daniel Casey was hired to write the script. The film remains in development as of 2022.

In 2019, it was reported that Kevin Feige was developing a standalone Star Wars film. Michael Waldron was set to write the screenplay as part of a first-look deal with Disney. In 2023, the Russo brothers confirmed they had early talks to helm the project before it was shelved that same year.

• Year — Title — Directors — Producers — Writer(s) • 1997 — Pieces • 2002 — Welcome to Collinwood • 2006 — You, Me and Dupree • 2014 — Captain America: The Winter Soldier • 2016 — Captain America: Civil War • 2018 — Avengers: Infinity War • 2019 — Avengers: Endgame • 2020 — Extraction — Story (Both) / Screenplay (Joe) • 2021 — Cherry • 2022 — The Gray Man • 2023 — Extraction 2 — Story (Both) / Screenplay (Joe) • 2025 — The Electric State • 2026 — Avengers: Doomsday • TBA — Extraction 3 — Screenplay (Joe) • Executive producers * Year — Title — Director * 2007 — Crashing — Gary Walkow * 2014 — A Merry Friggin' Christmas — Tristram Shapeero * 2018 — Dizzy Pursuit — Jay Alvarez * 2019 — Back from the Brink: Saved from Extinction — Sean Casey * 2020 — Relic — Natalie Erika James * 2023 — All Fun and Games — Ari Costa Eren Celeboglu * 2027 — John Rambo — Jalmari Helander — Producers only * Year — Title — Director * 2019 — 21 Bridges — Brian Kirk * Mosul — Matthew Michael Carnahan * 2022 — Everything Everywhere All at Once — Daniel Kwan Daniel Scheinert * 2026 — The Bluff — Frank E. Flowers * The Whisper Man — James Ashcroft Uncredited directors • Ant-Man (2015) (Post-credits scene) • Captain Marvel (2019) (Mid-credits scene) • Thunderbolts* (2025) (Post-credits scene) • The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) (Mid-credits scene)