The Avengers Will Have New Directors Now

Rumors have been swirling ever since Joss Whedon publicly said that the Avengers movies had run him into exhaustion and that he wouldn't jump at the chance to direct another one, but now it's actually happening. Whedon won't direct Avengers: Infinity War , and that extraordinarily high-profile gig has instead gone to Joe and Anthony Russo. But do not fret, dear friends — it's hardly like these two are un-versed in the art of Marvel. In fact, they're responsible for the Marvel flick with perhaps the best rep of them all.

Joe and Anthony Russo — also known as the Russo brothers — may have originally been known for their work on comedies like Community (they were executive producers), but the second Captain America film saw them solidified as two of the most respected names in superhero movies. It makes sense that Marvel would want to pass the torch to someone who's proven in the past that they not only get the "brand" but can also deliver the goods, and that's certainly the Russos. They've also got a test film even better lined up for next: They're directing Captain America: Civil War, which will pack in so many of Marvel's superheroes that it might as well be considered Avengers 2.5.

Whedon helped launch Marvel's Phase Two and solidify the studio as one that could carry the legacy of Iron Man into a new era and a new shape. But he was never going to stick around forever, nor should he — he's got too many other projects floating around in that brain of his. As Marvel plods towards its next phase, it's time to pass the torch. And these new torch-bearers seem to know what they're doing and are game for the long haul. And considering what a huge event the two-part Infinity War is shaping up to be, that's all kinds of necsesary.