Avengers: Doomsday is coming, but many are wondering if the project could doom the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, if it’s not the Massive Marvel movie event fans are hoping for. This week has brought some increased attention to the production, as it was reported that Avengers: Doomsdaywas undergoing some late-game reshoots.
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Now, Doomsdaydirectors the Russo Bros are doing some early public relations for the upcoming film, and discussing some of the behind-the-scenes details of the massive production. That includes the storyline of the film, which was apparently inspired by a very surprising cinematic muse.
Avengers: DoomsdayIs Marvel’s Epic Western (According to the Russos)
In a new interview with AP, Joe and Anthony Russo discussed their inspiration for Avengers: Doomsday, noting that Once Upon a Time in the Westwas one of their main inspirations for the film. “Joe and I grew up fans of all types of cinema, but Westerns have always been very special to us. Throughout cinema history, the Western has been declared dead for decades, and then you can still make one of the greatest examples of the genre.”
For those under a certain (old) age, Once Upon A Time in the Westis Sergio Leone’s famous 1968 spaghetti Western, starring the likes of Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, and Italian stars like Claudia Cardinale, Gabriele Ferzetti, among others. It was Leone’s return to the Western genre; he famously stepped away after directing his “Dollars Trilogy” with Clint Eastwood throughout the 1960s, but got pulled back in to direct by Paramount Pictures. Leone got story help from Italian horror icon Dario Argento and legendary director Bernardo Bertolucci, which he penned into a screenplay with his collaborator Sergio Donati. It was a financial flop, but became a stylistic icon in the decades afterward, and is now regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.
What Does Once Upon A Time in the WestHave to Do With Avengers: Doomsday?
Hearing Once Upon A Time in the West as the inspiration is curious, though, as the story is pretty intricate. It concerns two rival Outlaws, a former prostitute, and a mysterious man, who all have a bloody, murderous collision as they either maneuver to control a piece of land that will become a goldmine when the railroad is done, and/or try to kill one another. But if we’ve learned anything from the Russos comparing Avengers: Infinity Warto films like Get Shorty and 2 Days in the Valley, it’s that their stylistic associations are unconventional, but usually on point when you break it all down.
If we had to guess, The Russos are probably referring to Leone telling an intricate story of rival parties all competing or backstabbing over the same piece of ground (i.e., the Avengers and X-Men and Fantastic Four each battling to preserve their part of the multiverse). At the center of the story is a character (Bronson’s “Harmonica”) who is in the fray because of some deep personal trauma, and the vendetta it inspired in him. Then again, it’s hard to imagine Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom being as vile as Henry Fonda’s Outlaw villain, “Frank,” but you never know…
Avengers: Doomsdaywill be in theaters on December 18th.
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