Russo brothers

Russo brothers
Joe (left) and Anthony Russo in 2013
Born Anthony: February 1970
Joseph: July 1971[1]
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater University of Iowa (Joe), Case Western Reserve University
Occupation
  • Film directors
  • producers
  • screenwriters
Years active 1994–present

Anthony Russo (born February 1970) and Joseph Russo (born July 1971),[1] collectively known as the Russo brothers, are American film and television directors. The brothers direct most of their work jointly, and also occasionally work as producers, screenwriters, actors, and editors. The brothers directed the superhero films Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and will also be directing its untitled sequel (2019), all four part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They are also known for their work on the comedy series Arrested Development, for which they won an Emmy Award, and Community.

Life and career

Anthony and Joe Russo were raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Benedictine High School.[2] Their parents are Patricia and Basil Russo, an attorney and former judge.[3] Joe graduated from The University of Iowa and majored in English and writing.[4][5] The Russos were graduate students at Case Western Reserve University when they began directing, writing, and producing their first feature, Pieces. They financed the film with student loans and credit cards.[6] After viewing Pieces at the Slamdance Film Festival, Steven Soderbergh approached the duo and offered to produce their next film, along with his producing partner George Clooney.[6] This project was the crime comedy Welcome to Collinwood, starring William H. Macy, Sam Rockwell, and Clooney.

FX network executive Kevin Reilly hired the Russos to direct the pilot for the series Lucky, having liked the pair's work on Collinwood.[6] Ron Howard was a fan of the pilot, and he had a hand in hiring the brothers to direct the pilot for Fox's Arrested Development.[6] The brothers won an Emmy for their work on the episode.

In 2006, the Russo brothers returned to film, directing the Owen Wilson comedy You, Me, and Dupree. The film grossed $130 million worldwide.[6] For the 2007–08 TV season, the Russos joined the crew of the ABC series Carpoolers as executive producers and directors. They served as executive producers and directors on the first several seasons of the NBC sitcom Community and the ABC series Happy Endings.

In July 2013, the brothers wrapped principal production on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a superhero sequel for Marvel Studios; the film was released on April 4, 2014.[7]

In January 2014, the brothers signed on to return to direct the third Captain America film, Captain America: Civil War, which was released on May 6, 2016. In May 2014, they were announced to co-write and direct The Gray Man. In March 2015, the brothers were set to direct an all-male installment in the rebooted series of the Ghostbusters franchise, produced by Sony's new-founded production company, Ghost Corps.[8][9][10] However, as of March 2016, the Russos are no longer attached to the Ghostbusters project.[11]

The Russo brothers directed Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which became the first superhero movie to gross over $2 billion at the box office. They are the third directors to make a $2 billion movie after James Cameron's films Avatar and Titanic and J.J. Abrams's film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Its untitled sequel is scheduled for release in 2019.[12] The brothers are also financing the Los Angeles and Beijing joint-production company Anthem & Song, which is producing the Chinese superhero movie The Hero’s Awakening.[13][14]

The Russo brothers have signed on to produce a television series based on Deadly Class. The Sony Pictures Television-produced adaptation has been optioned as a pilot for the Syfy channel.[15] Benedict Wong, Benjamin Wadsworth, Lana Condor, Michel Duval and María Gabriela de Faría are among the actors cast in main roles for the series.[16] On April 18, 2018, Syfy picked up the pilot to the series.[17]

In August 2018, the brothers won the rights to adapt Nico Walker 2018 novel Cherry.[18]

Filmography

Year Title Credited as Role Notes
Directors Screenwriter(s) Producers Actor(s)
2002 Welcome to Collinwood Yes Yes No No
2006 You, Me and Dupree Yes No No Joe Russo Personal Trainor
2014 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Yes No No Joe Russo Dr. Fine
A Merry Friggin' Christmas No No Executives No
2016 Captain America: Civil War Yes No No Joe Russo Dr. Broussard
2018 Avengers: Infinity War Yes No No No
2019 Untitled Avengers film Yes No No No Post-production
Dhaka No Joe Russo Yes No Pre-production[19]
Short films
Year Title Credit(s)
2002 The Kiss Directors
Producers
Writers
2006 No. 6 Producer (Joe only)
2008 Square One Writer (Anthony only)
Carfuckers Directors
2009 Donkey Punch Producer (Anthony only)
2012 Leader of the Pack Producers
Television
Year Program Episode(s) Credit(s)
2003 Lucky "Calling Dr. Con" Directors
2003–05 Arrested Development Both: "Pilot"
Anthony only: "Top Banana", "Key Decisions", "The Immaculate Election", "Spring Breakout"
Joe only: "Bringing Up Buster", "In God We Trust", "Pier Pressure", "Marta Complex", "Shock and Aww", "Missing Kitty", "Hand to God", "Motherboy XXX", "Meat the Veals"		 Directors
2004 LAX "Pilot" Directors
2004–05 All episodes Co-executive producers
2006 Secrets of a Small Town Failed ABC pilot Executive producers
What About Brian "Pilot" Directors
2006–07 All episodes Executive producers
2007–08 Carpoolers Both: "Pilot"
Anthony only: "The Code", "The Recital"
Joe only: "Laird of the Rings", "What Would You Do?", "Down for the Count", "The Seminar",
"A Divorce to Remember", "The Handsomest Man", "Lost in America"		 Directors
All episodes Executive producers
2008 Courtroom K Failed Fox pilot Directors
2009 Untitled Family Pilot Failed NBC pilot Directors
Comedy Showcase "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" Directors
2009–2012, 2014 Community Both: Pilot
Anthony only: "Introduction to Film", "Social Psychology", "Home Economics", "The Politics of Human Sexuality", "Physical Education", "Beginner Pottery", "The Psychology of Letting Go", "Basic Rocket Science", "Asian Population Studies", "Custody Law and Eastern European Diplomacy", "Biology 101", "Competitive Ecology", "Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism"
Joe only: "Spanish 101", "Advanced Criminal Law", "Football, Feminism and You", "Debate 109", "Investigative Journalism", "Romantic Expressionism", "Pascal's Triangle Revisited", "Anthropology 101", "Accounting for Lawyers", "Cooperative Calligraphy", "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons", "Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking", "Competitive Wine Tasting", "A Fistful of Paintballs", "Geography of Global Conflict", "Advanced Gay", "Documentary Filmmaking: Redux", "Geothermal Escapism", "Advanced Advanced Dungeons & Dragons"		 Directors
Seasons 1–3 and 5 Executive producers, directors only (season five)
2010 Running Wilde "Pilot" Directors
Executive producers
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret "In Which Claims are Made and a Journey Ensues" (original Comedy Showcase pilot, some footage reshot) Directors
2011 The Council of Dads Fox pilot Directors
2011–2012 Happy Endings Both: "Pilot"
Anthony only: "Barefoot Pedaler", "Blax, Snake, Home", "Secrets and Limos"
Joe only: "Bo Fight", "Yesandwitch", "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre"		 Directors
Season one & season two Executive producers
Up All Night Joe only: "Cool Neighbors", "Working Late and Working It", "Day After Valentine's Day" Directors
2012 Animal Practice Both: "Pilot"
Anthony only: "Clean-Smelling Pirate"
Joe only: "Ralphie"		 Directors
All episodes Executive producers
2015 Agent Carter Joe only: "Bridge and Tunnel" (as Joseph V. Russo) Directors
2019 Deadly Class Both: "Pilot" Executive producers

References

  1. 1 2 Anthony Russo in Lovece, Frank (March 25, 2014). "Soldier showdown: Joe and Anthony Russo take the helm of 'Captain America' franchise". Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. I was born in February of 1970 and Joe was born in July of 1971.
  2. ↑ Luttermoser, John (August 29, 2009). "Anthony and Joe Russo put 'Community' on edge for NBC comedy series". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  3. ↑ "'Captain America: The Winter Soldier': Directors Anthony and Joe Russo on landing in the Marvel universe and their love of '70s crime thrillers". cleveland.com.
  4. ↑ Alumni, University of Iowa. "Iowa Alumni Magazine: Captain Middle America".
  5. ↑ "Iowa has close ties to 'Captain America' series".
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Anthony and Joe Russo: Executive Producers/Directors". Community official site: "About/Bios" (NBC). Archived from the original on September 22, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Russo Brothers On For Captain America 2 – Movie News – Empire". empireonline.com.
  8. ↑ Kroll, Justin (May 28, 2014). "Sony Acquires 'The Gray Man' for Joe Roth and 'Captain America' Directors (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Lucy Lawless Joins Ash vs. Evil Dead". Dread Central.
  10. ↑ Mike Fleming Jr. "Guy 'Ghostbusters' In Works With Russo Brothers, Channing Tatum & Drew Pearce – Deadline". Deadline.
  11. ↑ Barken, Jonathan (March 18, 2016). "The Russo Brothers 'Ghostbusters' is Confirmed Dead". Bloody Disgusting.
  12. ↑ Kit, Borys; Siegemund-Broka, Austin (March 23, 2015). "Russo Brothers to Direct 'Avengers: Infinity War' Parts 1 and 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  13. ↑ Brzeski, Patrick (March 13, 2016). "Russo Brothers Launch Studio to Produce Chinese-Language Films (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  14. ↑ Frater, Patrick (May 10, 2016). "'Captain America' Filmmakers Announce Chinese Superhero Project". Variety.
  15. ↑ Melrose, Kevin (July 21, 2016). "SDCC: Russo Brothers to Produce "Deadly Class" TV Series". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  16. ↑ Petski, Denise (November 9, 2017). "'Deadly Class': Syfy Sets Full Cast For Comic-Based Drama Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  17. ↑ Petski, Denise; Andreeva, Nellie (April 18, 2018). "Syfy Picks Up To Series 'Deadly Class' Drama Based On Graphic Novel From The Russo Brothers". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  18. ↑ McNary, Dave (24 August 2018). "Russo Brothers Close Deal to Direct PTSD Drama 'Cherry'". Variety. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  19. ↑ https://deadline.com/2018/08/chris-hemsworth-dhaka-agbo-india-extraction-drama-sam-hargrave-joe-russo-anthony-russo-1202454550/
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