The Russo Bros. Reveal Insanely Tedious System for Keeping Track of Every MCU Character in AVENGERS Films

Joe and Anthony Russo are no strangers to juggling massive casts. Having directed Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the duo successfully balanced an overwhelming number of superheroes and villains in a way that actually felt cohesive. Now, as they gear up for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, their character management skills are being put to the test once again. And how do they keep track of it all? A method so simple yet so tedious it almost feels like an old-school RPG inventory system… baseball cards.The Russos are keeping tabs on Marvel’s extensive lineup with character cards, a system they’ve used before. This time, though, they’ve upgraded it with magnets:Anthony shared: “Yes, we continue to use the baseball cards,” with Joe adding: “Now they have magnets on them so we can put ‘em on a board and look at ‘em. It’s the only way to keep track of the amount of characters that we’re working with.”As for how they decide who makes the cut in the movies, Anthony explains that it’s a long, painstaking creative process, saying:“And as far as how do we look at who’s in the movies, it’s just a long creative process of exploring where we want to take the story. What is the most surprising and exciting area for us to push into, and which characters help us in that effort?”Right now, Marvel Studios isn’t revealing much when it comes to Doomsday and Secret Wars. We know that Sam Wilson’s Captain America, the Fantastic Four, and a handful of other characters are locked in like Steve Rogers, Spider-Man, and more.But considering the size of the MCU, and the fact that the multiverse is in full swing, there are a lot of possibilities. Heroes from past franchises, Disney+ series, and even animated projects could all be in play.One major confirmed player is Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, who’s set to be the Big Bad of this next phase. The Russos have teased that Downey is deeply involved in shaping the character, which seemed to get fans excited.Given that Secret Wars is inspired by Jonathan Hickman’s comics run, one of the most ambitious Marvel storylines of all time, it makes sense that the Russos need some kind of system to keep their sprawling cast under control in such big storytelling madness.

Mar 19, 2025 - 16:59

The Russo Bros. Reveal Insanely Tedious System for Keeping Track of Every MCU Character in AVENGERS Films

Joe and Anthony Russo are no strangers to juggling massive casts. Having directed Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the duo successfully balanced an overwhelming number of superheroes and villains in a way that actually felt cohesive.

Now, as they gear up for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, their character management skills are being put to the test once again. And how do they keep track of it all? A method so simple yet so tedious it almost feels like an old-school RPG inventory system… baseball cards.

The Russos are keeping tabs on Marvel’s extensive lineup with character cards, a system they’ve used before. This time, though, they’ve upgraded it with magnets:

Anthony shared: “Yes, we continue to use the baseball cards,” with Joe adding: “Now they have magnets on them so we can put ‘em on a board and look at ‘em. It’s the only way to keep track of the amount of characters that we’re working with.”

As for how they decide who makes the cut in the movies, Anthony explains that it’s a long, painstaking creative process, saying:

“And as far as how do we look at who’s in the movies, it’s just a long creative process of exploring where we want to take the story. What is the most surprising and exciting area for us to push into, and which characters help us in that effort?”

Right now, Marvel Studios isn’t revealing much when it comes to Doomsday and Secret Wars. We know that Sam Wilson’s Captain America, the Fantastic Four, and a handful of other characters are locked in like Steve Rogers, Spider-Man, and more.

But considering the size of the MCU, and the fact that the multiverse is in full swing, there are a lot of possibilities. Heroes from past franchises, Disney+ series, and even animated projects could all be in play.

One major confirmed player is Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, who’s set to be the Big Bad of this next phase. The Russos have teased that Downey is deeply involved in shaping the character, which seemed to get fans excited.

Given that Secret Wars is inspired by Jonathan Hickman’s comics run, one of the most ambitious Marvel storylines of all time, it makes sense that the Russos need some kind of system to keep their sprawling cast under control in such big storytelling madness.