The Russo brothers could become history’s highest-grossing directors, thanks to Avengers: Secret Wars
Avengers: Secret Wars could be the swing that finally vaults the Russos into the top spot on the highest-grossing directors list.
By the latest tally from The Numbers, Joe and Anthony Russo’s movies have earned $6.762 billion worldwide, a haul built largely on their four-film run inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That total places the duo just behind a very exclusive trio on the all-time list of highest-grossing directors.
The Russos’ films have grossed $6.762 billion worldwide, per The Numbers.
Here’s where the leaderboard stands right now:
- Steven Spielberg — $10.723 billion
- James Cameron — $10.147 billion
- Christopher Nolan — $7.35 billion
- Joe and Anthony Russo — $6.762 billion
How the math shakes out
To join the $10 billion club, the Russos need about $3.24 billion more. Split across two mega-sized tentpoles, that’s roughly $1.62 billion each. To overtake Spielberg for No. 1 based on today’s totals, the gap is about $3.96 billion—an average near $1.98 billion apiece if you’re penciling it out over two films.
That sounds steep, but it’s not without precedent for them. Their two Avengers finales alone—Avengers: Infinity War (~$2.05B worldwide) and Avengers: Endgame (~$2.80B)—combine for roughly $5 billion. Earlier entries Captain America: The Winter Soldier (~$714M) and Captain America: Civil War (~$1.15B) show the runway that led there.
What’s next matters. Marvel has an untitled Avengers movie dated for May 1, 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars set for May 7, 2027 . Online chatter has repeatedly linked the Russos to the next Avengers chapter (and to Secret Wars), but Marvel has not announced directors for either film. If they do return and those movies approach the performance of Infinity War and Endgame, the pair would have a clear path to the top of the list.
For now, the calendar holds: the next Avengers movie is slated for May 1, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following on May 7, 2027.