The Russo Brothers are expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe in epic ways. After directing the brilliant Captain America: The Winter Soldier, directors Joe and Anthony Russo were hired to direct this year's Captain America: Civil War. They're also developing the two-part Avengers: Infinity War movies.
During an interview with Forbes, the filmmakers talked about how they're introducing the new Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and how he will fit in the conflicts of Civil War.
Joe: We always intended to [introduce Spidey like that]. He was my favorite character growing up, I still have my collection of comics in my closet so it was a dream come true for us to be able to have Spidey in the movie and interpret him as a character so we couldn't be more excited and we wanted to share that with everybody else.
Anthony: Also I think it was a little bit of a correction because it was a very complicated deal that Sony had to work out with Marvel Studios and Disney in order to make that work. We were very quiet about Spider-Man's involvement in the movie for much longer than we would have been. We were artificially silent on the character because it was such a sensitive business deal still being worked out even while we were shooting. We went through a very thorough casting process, we tested Tom Holland vigorously with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr,, we screen tested him along with several other actors, it was a very intense part of making
Captain America: Civil War
because he was an important part of the movie to us. Finally it's all secure and we're at a place where we can present him even in just a small taste.
Joe: We thought it was a great way to reveal him. I think people are going to be happy with him in the movie, he's got a very interesting role in it.
Anthony: I'll say this, part of the fun of Spider-Man is that this film is basically a war amongst the Avengers and Spidey does not have the baggage that all these other characters have. He enters the story after the conflict that is happening between the Avengers and that gives him a very unique place in the story.
When fans got their first look at Tom Holland's Spider-Man in the latest Civil War trailer, reactions were mixed. Some thought his costume looked too cartoony while others said that it stays true to the comic books. The Russos explained why they chose that costume for Spider-Man:
Joe: The design of the costume is what it is. That's the design that we love, it's the design that Kevin Feige loves and so on. He's a very popular character so it's always going to be controversial, people are always going to love or hate what you do with him, but all we can do is make sure that we love it, that we are true to ourselves and true to how we feel about the character and then hope that everybody else digs it.
Anthony: Part of issue is that we gave such a small impression of the character in that trailer, it's something of a Rorschach test where people can pour as much of their Spidey anxieties out but when they see the movie they are going to get a very big picture of a very complete character that they have never seen before. It's kind of hard to react to people's reactions but they will change radically when they see the movie.
Joe: And there is still effects work that needs to be done on it.
Captain America: Civil War will be released in theaters on May 6.
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