Next month’s release ofCaptain America: Civil War, which marks the start of Marvel’s Phase Three lineup, comes almost exactly eight years after the release ofIron Man, which kicked off Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Later this year, production will begin onAvengers: Infinity War Part IandAvengers: Infinity War - Part II, under the direction ofAnthony RussoandJoe Russo. Today, we have word that one of the filmmakers who helped shape the MCU is coming back into the fold. During a recent interview withDigital Spy, to promote his new movieThe Jungle Book, directorJon Favreaurevealed that he has signed on to executive produce the two-partInfinity Waradventure.
“I’m going to be executive producing theAvengersfilms with theRusso brothers, which I’m very excited about. I talk to them about it all the time. I’ve worked both in front of and behind the camera with Marvel and I really love what they’re doing right now. It’s a really exciting time to be over there. I’ve seen a rough cut of Civil War and it’s fantastic. We’re constantly looking for things to do together. And now I’m freed up.”
Jon Favreaudirected bothIron Manand its 2010 sequelIron Man 2, while also starring as Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) longtime friend Happy Hogan. While he didn’t direct 2013’sIron Man 3, he did return on camera as Happy Hogan in that adventure. The filmmaker admitted that he turned down theIron Man 3directing gig because he wanted to explore other projects.
“I’m actually surprised I don’t feel that way aboutThe Jungle Bookalready, but withIron Man, I’d done two back to back. My time was completely monopolized for those years and I wanted to be allowed to explore other things. Part of the fun of having a successful movie is you get a lot of say on what your next project is. Sometimes you want to leave yourself open to other opportunities instead of another four or five years maybe working on that franchise.”
The director is already coming back to directThe Jungle Book 2for Disney. With a slew of other projects being developed by Marvel, the director was asked if he would consider returning to theMarvel Universeas a director. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t give a definitive answer, but it sounds like he’s not entirely ruling out a return to the MCU as a director. Here’s what he had to say below.
“The question is, do I want to do something else in thesuperhero genre? I’ve spent a big chunk of my career working on that already. All new titles are coming out now.”
Jon Favreaualso served as an executive producer on last year’sAvengers: Age of Ultron, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will return on the big screen as Happy Hogan. InIron Man 3, Happy ended up in a coma after a massive explosion, but we haven’t seen the character since then. The Russo Brothers have already teased thatAvengers: Infinity War Part IandAvengers: Infinity War - Part IIwill unite the entire MCU, so it’s possible he could return on screen as Happy Hogan.
