Avenger: Endgame, which is being billed as the cinematic event of the year and marks the culmination of 22 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), creates a community experience
Joe Russo
Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo love telling stories on a grand scale and the most special part about making these films, for them, is the ability of the genre to transcend geographical boundaries. Avengers: Endgame, which is being billed as the cinematic event of the year and marks the culmination of 22 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), creates a community experience, the director duo says.
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"This movie is speaking to people about what works for the theatrical experience. There is a scale of filmmaking that is just better on the big screen. And these movies are working globally, speaking to audiences all around the world," Anthony told PTI in a group interview. Commenting on the movie versus streaming services debate that had taken over the entertainment industry recently, the director said maybe there are certain films that are more suited for the digital platform but big event movies that engage people around the world will stay strong in theatres.
"The fact that we are able to release 'Endgame' in theatres at the same time, creates an event. People can go out with their friends, experience the movie and then get on the social media, talk about it and experience the dialogue surrounding the movie. This is why it is working," Anthony added. As if directing a mammoth two-part superhero film isn't enough, the directors often go to absurd lengths to avoid spoilers. Such is the secrecy around the story that even actors don't get the entire script and the viewers are misdirected even in the trailers.
The Russos have also written an emotional letter to fans, asking them to avoid giving out the plot details. "It is part of the fun of making these movies that we want to keep misdirecting the fans. Nobody knows what the story is until they get in the movie theatre. We live in a culture, where everything is viewed as yesterday. There is a minority who likes to spoil things. "We do everything to protect the integrity of the viewing experience for people who don't want spoilers because they spent years of their lives caring about these characters," Joe said.
After four movies in a row -- "Captain America: Winter Soldier", "Captain America: Civil War", "Avengers: Infinity War" and the upcoming "Endgame", there was a "sense of finality" and a need for "a break", they say. "Things just kept unfolding. We certainly love telling stories on a grand scale but our favourite aspect about this job is to share these stories with the world and then go around the world and talk about them. We are fans before we became filmmakers," is how Joe summed up his experience on these film. For Anthony, too, "Endgame" marks the beginning of an end. "Each of the other movies that we made, we never had the sense that this is it.
There was always the possibility of something else and, of course, the MCU will go on but there is a sense of finality happening with this movie, which is different from anything we have done before. It ups the stakes of what we are doing and the story we are telling on this one," he says. After the much needed break, their new journey will begin with an Avenger as the director duo will move into "Cherry" with "Spider-Man" star Tom Holland. "Endgame" will hit the theatres this Friday.
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