{"id":913315,"date":"2026-09-28T22:20:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T22:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/913315\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T22:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T22:20:12","slug":"russo-brothers-finally-explain-why-avengers-endgame-cut-its-most-wanted-captain-america-storyline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/913315\/","title":{"rendered":"Russo Brothers Finally Explain Why Avengers: Endgame Cut Its Most Wanted Captain America Storyline"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the weekend, Marvel Studios reminded fans how good we all had it with the big-screen return of Avengers: Endgame<\/a>, a triumph of comic book storytelling that culminated several phases of MCU lore into a satisfying conclusion<\/a> to the Infinity Saga. The Avengers: Endgame Encore earned roughly $26 million in its celebrated return, assisted by four new scenes<\/a> that connect the existing film to this December\u2019s anticipated release, Avengers: Doomsday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Going back to revisit Avengers: Endgame helps bring up so many questions we had about the MCU at that time. So it was a pleasure to connect with Joe and Anthony Russo on the weekend their record-setting blockbuster was to return to theaters, to dig into where they have been \u2013 as well as where they are going. In our conversation, CBR and The Russos discussed their take on Chris Hemsworth\u2019s Thor<\/a>, and how they handled the Guardians of the Galaxy.<\/p>\n

\n CBR Exclusive \u00b7 Quiz
\n WHICH MARVEL CHARACTER ARE YOU?
\n Your Powers Are About to Be Revealed
\n The Marvel Universe is full of extraordinary people \u2014 genius billionaires, super-soldiers, sorcerers, and gods. Twenty questions stand between you and the truth. Answer honestly. Your true self will assemble.\n <\/p>\n

\u26a1Iron Man<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udee1\ufe0fCaptain America<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udde1\ufe0fBlack Widow<\/p>\n

\u2618\ufe0fThor<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd77\ufe0fSpider-Man<\/p>\n

\n FIND OUT WHICH HERO YOU ARE \u2192\n <\/p>\n

01<\/p>\n

You\u2019re outnumbered and outgunned. What do you do?
\n A hero\u2019s instinct is defined in their darkest moment.<\/p>\n

\n AImprovise a solution on the spot \u2014 I always find a way.
\n BStand my ground. Someone has to hold the line.
\n CAssess the threat, identify the weakness, strike precisely.
\n DCall down the storm. Power solves most problems.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

02<\/p>\n

Your team disagrees with your plan. How do you handle it?
\n Every Avenger has their own idea of teamwork.<\/p>\n

\n AListen, adapt \u2014 the best plan wins, whoever thought of it.
\n BMy plan is right. I\u2019ll convince them or go alone.
\n CBuild consensus. Unity is our greatest strength.
\n DObserve the disagreement \u2014 the truth usually becomes obvious.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

03<\/p>\n

What does your hero identity mean to you?
\n The mask \u2014 or the lack of one \u2014 says everything.<\/p>\n

\n AIt\u2019s my brand. My name is the message.
\n BIt\u2019s a symbol \u2014 bigger than any one person.
\n CIt keeps the people I love safe. Anonymity is armor.
\n DI am who I am, wherever I go. No disguise needed.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

04<\/p>\n

How do you typically make big decisions?
\n A hero\u2019s process shapes their outcome.<\/p>\n

\n ARun the data, model the outcomes, pick the optimal path.
\n BAsk: what\u2019s the right thing to do? Then do it.
\n CGather intel, weigh every variable, then commit.
\n DTrust my gut \u2014 experience and power get me through.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

05<\/p>\n

Someone takes credit for your work in front of everyone. You:
\n Pride is the armor and the weakness of every hero.<\/p>\n

\n ACorrect the record immediately \u2014 with receipts.
\n BLet it go. The mission matters, not the glory.
\n CFile it away and address it privately, strategically.
\n DLaugh it off. My reputation speaks for itself.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

06<\/p>\n

A government agency wants to oversee your activities. Your response?
\n Accountability is the line every hero must face.<\/p>\n

\n ASign nothing. I answer to my own moral code.
\n BOversight makes sense \u2014 even heroes need checks.
\n CCooperate on my terms. I choose what I share.
\n DI operate above earthly jurisdictions.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

07<\/p>\n

When facing a villain, your strategy is:
\n Every fighter has a philosophy.<\/p>\n

\n AOverwhelm them with superior tech and tactics.
\n BShield up, take the hits, look for the opening.
\n CGet inside their head \u2014 information wins fights before they start.
\n DHit first, hit hard \u2014 lightning ends it fast.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

08<\/p>\n

Your biggest personal flaw is:
\n Every hero has a crack in the armor.<\/p>\n

\n AMy ego \u2014 I sometimes think I\u2019m the smartest person in the room. (I usually am.)
\n BStubbornness \u2014 when I believe in something, I don\u2019t bend.
\n CI keep people at arm\u2019s length. Trust is a liability.
\n DArrogance \u2014 I had to learn humility the hard way.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

09<\/p>\n

A rookie hero is overwhelmed on their first mission. You:
\n How a hero mentors others reveals their character.<\/p>\n

\n AJump in and handle it \u2014 debrief and mentor them after.
\n BTalk them through it step by step. They need to learn.
\n CCover their back silently \u2014 let them think they did it alone.
\n DInspire them with a rallying call. Belief is half the battle.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

What drives you more than anything else?
\n The \u201cwhy\u201d behind the hero is everything.<\/p>\n

\n ALegacy \u2014 I want to prove I\u2019m more than my past.
\n BDuty \u2014 protecting people is a responsibility, not a choice.
\n CSurvival \u2014 I protect myself and those close to me.
\n DHonor \u2014 I must be worthy of the power I carry.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

11<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve just suffered a crushing defeat. What\u2019s next?
\n A hero is measured by how they get back up.<\/p>\n

\n ARebuild and upgrade \u2014 I come back with a better suit.
\n BI could do this all day. Get back up and go again.
\n CRetreat, reassess \u2014 then return when the odds are mine.
\n DChannel the loss into fury. Wrath has its uses.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

12<\/p>\n

You could end a threat permanently \u2014 but it crosses an ethical line. You:
\n The hardest choices define a hero from a weapon.<\/p>\n

\n AFind a smarter solution that doesn\u2019t require crossing that line.
\n BRefuse. There are lines I will never cross. Period.
\n CWeigh the numbers coldly. Sometimes the math is ugly.
\n DEscalate the power. No threat survives overwhelming force.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

13<\/p>\n

What do you actually fear most?
\n Even the mightiest hero has something to lose.<\/p>\n

\n AFailure \u2014 being the person who could have stopped it and didn\u2019t.
\n BA world that loses its belief in what\u2019s right.
\n CBeing truly known \u2014 and rejected for it.
\n DBecoming a monster. Losing control of my own power.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

14<\/p>\n

People who just met you would describe you as:
\n First impressions carry a grain of truth.<\/p>\n

\n ABrilliant, confident, maybe a little much \u2014 but magnetic.
\n BSolid, trustworthy \u2014 the kind of person you rally behind.
\n CReserved, sharp-eyed \u2014 clearly assessing everything.
\n DCommanding \u2014 the presence in the room everyone notices.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

15<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your ideal base of operations?
\n Where a hero operates reveals how they think.<\/p>\n

\n AA state-of-the-art tower with every tool at my fingertips.
\n BWherever the mission takes me \u2014 I travel light.
\n CAn off-grid safe house. Low profile is the advantage.
\n DAn ancient palace above the clouds. I prefer altitude.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

16<\/p>\n

What does \u201cbeing a hero\u201d actually mean to you?
\n The philosophy behind the power is the real definition.<\/p>\n

\n AUsing your advantages to solve problems others can\u2019t.
\n BDoing what\u2019s right even when it costs you everything.
\n CProtecting people who can\u2019t protect themselves \u2014 quietly.
\n DEarning the right to carry great power through sacrifice.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

17<\/p>\n

What do you want to leave behind?
\n The mark a hero leaves is their truest measure.<\/p>\n

\n ATechnology that protects humanity long after I\u2019m gone.
\n BProof that one person\u2019s character can change the world.
\n CA world where the next generation doesn\u2019t need me.
\n DA realm that stands in peace, protected and free.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

18<\/p>\n

Someone you love is in danger. Your first move is:
\n Crisis strips away everything but the truth.<\/p>\n

\n ADeploy every asset immediately \u2014 no hesitation.
\n BPut myself between them and the threat. That\u2019s the job.
\n CExtract them quietly. They never need to know I was there.
\n DSummon every ounce of power I have. Nothing is off the table.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

19<\/p>\n

Your power \u2014 where does it come from?
\n Origin shapes destiny in the Marvel Universe.<\/p>\n

\n AI built it. Every advantage I have, I engineered myself.
\n BIt was given to me. I chose to be worthy of it.
\n CIt\u2019s earned through training, sacrifice, and sheer will.
\n DIt\u2019s ancient \u2014 cosmic and beyond mortal understanding.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

20<\/p>\n

The final battle. Everything is on the line. You:
\n This is the moment that defines everything.<\/p>\n

\n AMake the one genius move no one saw coming \u2014 even if it costs me.
\n BNever surrender. I fight until there\u2019s nothing left in me.
\n CStrike from the shadows at the exact right moment.
\n DBring the full force of my power down. No holding back.\n <\/p>\n

REVEAL MY HERO \u2192<\/p>\n

THE MARVEL UNIVERSE HAS SPOKEN
\n YOUR HERO IDENTITY<\/p>\n

Your scores are shown below. The character with the highest number is your match. Read their description to discover which hero the universe chose for you.<\/p>\n

\n \u26a1
\n Iron Man<\/p>\n

\n \ud83d\udee1\ufe0f
\n Cap. America<\/p>\n

\n \ud83d\udde1\ufe0f
\n Black Widow<\/p>\n

\n \u2618\ufe0f
\n Thor<\/p>\n

\n \ud83d\udd77\ufe0f
\n Spider-Man<\/p>\n

Brilliant, driven, and uncompromising in your ambition. You believe that the right technology \u2014 in the right hands \u2014 can solve any problem, and you\u2019re confident enough in your own abilities to back that up. Beneath the armor and the bravado, you carry the weight of responsibility deeply. When it truly matters, you\u2019re willing to sacrifice everything.<\/p>\n

Principled, courageous, and steadfast. You have an unshakeable sense of right and wrong, and no amount of pressure, politics, or power can make you compromise it. People trust you instinctively \u2014 not because you demand it, but because you\u2019ve earned it. You lead not by authority but by example, and you will always get back up.<\/p>\n

Strategic, precise, and formidably self-reliant. You don\u2019t need a suit or a superpower \u2014 your greatest weapon is your mind and your nerve. You keep your cards close, trust slowly, and operate three steps ahead of everyone else. Your past is complicated, but you\u2019ve turned it into something that makes you nearly impossible to stop.<\/p>\n

Powerful, honorable, and ultimately humbled by what truly matters. You came into your power believing it was your birthright \u2014 and then you learned it had to be earned. Your strength is immense, but your greatest growth came from learning to serve rather than reign. Loyal to your people, terrifying to your enemies, and always magnificent.<\/p>\n

Quick-witted, deeply compassionate, and driven by a responsibility you didn\u2019t ask for. You\u2019ve learned the hard way that great power comes with great cost \u2014 and you show up anyway. You stay grounded when others would ascend, and your humanity is your greatest strength. You make it look effortless. It never is.<\/p>\n

\n \u21bb RETAKE THE QUIZ\n <\/p>\n

But it was a conversation about Chris Evans\u2019 Captain America that finally unearthed a massive truth about Avengers: Endgame, and conversations the brothers had about how to end the film. As it turns out, a very popular storyline involving Marvel\u2019s first Avenger almost came to pass, and Joe Russo tells CBR why they decided against it.<\/p>\n

\"Chris
\n Chris Evans as Steve Rogers’ Captain America on the battlefield in Avengers EndgameImage via Marvel Studios<\/p>\n

‘We Did Circle It For a Long Time’<\/p>\n

By now, anyone reading this far knows that at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Captain America agrees to travel back in time and return the Infinity Stones to the exact moment where the Avengers \u201cborrowed\u201d them, which erases the branched timeline and theoretically prevents catastrophe.<\/p>\n

Ever since Endgame ended that way, though, Marvel fans have asked for a project \u2013 either a Disney+ show or even a movie \u2013 that showed Chris Evans\u2019 Cap returning the Stones, and maybe getting into all sorts of adventures. Think of it like Loki<\/a>, which also began where the villain (played by Tom Hiddleston) exited Avengers: Endgame.<\/p>\n

So when I had time with the Russo Brothers to discuss all things Endgame, I did ask them if there were any conversations around having Steve Rogers encounter his nemesis, The Red Skull, on Vormir. And Joe Russo told CBR:<\/p>\n

We did have that conversation. There might have even been\u2026 I think we toyed around with an idea of like, \u2018Is there a montage where he puts the stones back?\u2019 We felt like it just played past the ending. We were like, \u2018It seems like much more complicated than a montage could sustain.\u2019 And so we didn’t do it.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s brother and co-director Anthony Russo added:<\/p>\n

We did circle it for a long time, that idea.<\/p>\n

This makes a lot of sense. Just the idea of sending Captain America back through time to return the Infinity Stones is intriguing enough for a multi-episode Disney+ show (even though it sounds like Marvel and Disney are scaling back on streaming properties<\/a>). Back when we didn\u2019t know that Chris Evans was a big part of Avengers: Doomsday, I personally thought that \u201cCap and The Stones\u201d would be the way that Marvel would bring Evans back to the MCU. It would be a self-contained story. It wouldn\u2019t have to impact the ongoing MCU main line. And you get more Evans in his signature role.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think I\u2019m alone in thinking this way, because when I mention the idea to the Russo Brothers, Joe replied to me:<\/p>\n

I think that’s a great idea. How about a movie?<\/p>\n

Could this be a movie that the Russo Brothers do after they deliver Avengers: Secret Wars<\/a>? We know they like working with Evans. They started in the MCU on Captain America movies, and they teed themselves up for this possible adventure. We also know that Steve Rogers staying in the past with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) causes disruptions, hence the appearance of Loki in the Endgame Encore end credits. That thread will be picked up in Avengers: Doomsday.<\/p>\n

Somewhere deep down, I knew that the Russo Brothers had at least considered showing us Steve Rogers attempting to return the Infinity Stones in the past. Mainly because you don\u2019t put Red Skull on Vormir without trying to show Captain America finding him there. But also, there\u2019s just so much potential for MCU stories that rip narratives from the comics by restaging some of these incredible sequences. I guess we will see if this ever comes to pass. As Joe Russo says, \u201cHow about a movie?\u201d<\/p>\n

Avengers: Endgame is playing in theaters right now, and Avengers: Doomsday will open in theaters beginning on December 16 in the UK.<\/p>\n

\"avengers-endgame-movie-poster.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Release Date<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApril 26, 2019<\/p>\n

Runtime<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t181 Minutes<\/p>\n

Director<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnthony Russo, Joe Russo<\/p>\n

\"instar53643496.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Robert Downey Jr.<\/p>\n

\n Tony Stark \/ Iron Man\n <\/p>\n

\"instar54296962.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\n Steve Rogers \/ Captain America\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Over the weekend, Marvel Studios reminded fans how good we all had it with the big-screen return of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":913316,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[49,48,75],"class_list":["post-913315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=913315"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913315\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/913316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=913315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=913315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=913315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}