Anthony Russo Reveals How ‘Avengers Endgame: Encore’ Connects to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

It’s been seven years since Marvel Studios’ *Avengers: Endgame* hit theaters, shattering box office records and bringing the Infinity Saga to a thrilling conclusion. Now, Endgame is returning to theaters for a special re-release — featuring an exclusive sneak peek at the highly anticipated *Avengers: Doomsday* (in theaters December 18).

For Anthony Russo — who directed Endgame and Doomsday with his brother, Joe Russo — Avengers Endgame: Encore is a full-circle moment. The filmmaker tells Marvel.com he still remembers sitting in a dark theater on opening night in 2019, listening to the audience react as Steve Rogers picked up Mjolnir or Carol Danvers came streaking through the sky.

“The energy that [night] had, that was really the first sign of it,” Russo recalls. “I knew it was a very unique, important experience just from that first screening.”

Now, he can’t wait for audiences to experience the film in an all-new way with Avengers Endgame: Encore — whether they’re seeing it on the big screen for the first time or the fiftieth.

“The timing of Avengers: Endgame was remarkable in a lot of ways, not the least of which was [that it was] followed months later by COVID,” Russo adds. “That changed theatergoing in such a profound way, as we all know. To be able to see that theatrical experience regain strength and vigor over the years since then has been really important to us and very inspiring. So the fact that we can go back and bring Endgame to theaters again and tie into that moment before the theatrical experience was disrupted, I think there’s a layer of power in that. I feel very grateful for it.”