With Marvel’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron deep into post-production and Phase 2 finale Ant-Man entering the final leg of its principal photography, it’s clear that even with the studio’s two big 2015 releases on the horizon, Marvel is well into developing Phase 3 and beyond (which will include standalone films for Captain Marvel, Black Panther and The Inhumans).

2016′s Captain America: Civil War will launch Phase 3, with casting for pivotal roles already underway and Captain America: The Winter Soldier directors Joe and Anthony Russo back behind the camera. Having impressed audiences with the slick, spy-movie feel of The Winter Soldier, the brothers Russo were rumored some time ago to be in the running to direct what was then known only as The Avengers 3 & 4.

Deadline is now reporting that the Russos are indeed the front-runners to take on the next adventures of Earth’s Mightiest.

According to the Deadline article:

The Russos are building up their Marvel cred with this all-star outing, and I keep hearing they will step up to the ultimate Marvel all-star team and take the reins of The Avengers franchise from Joss Whedon, possibly with that next film that will shoot back to back.

Now that we know we’ll be getting the two-part The Avengers: Infinity War in 2018 and 2019 – with Captain Marvel and The Inhumans in between – it not only makes a certain amount of sense for the two films to shoot back to back, but also to pass the franchise on to the Russos, whose Civil War is destined to shake the MCU to its foundations.

There have been hints that the roster of the Avengers will already be drastically altered by the end of Age of Ultron, and with the original Avengers stars’ contracts nearing their end, it makes a certain amount of sense to place the future of the Marvel movie realm in the hands of a new generation of filmmakers to go along with their new lineup of heroes. Fans may prove insistent in their devotion to Age of Ultron director Joss Whedon, but the Russo brothers are smart filmmakers and know that Whedon’s voice is one worth at least emulating – to a point.

The handing off of Marvel’s central team-up franchise was inevitable, and with The Winter Soldier earning not only major box office returns but major critical respect, the Russos are a smart and obvious choice to take the Avengers to the next level. We’ll have a better idea of what lies in store after Age of Ultron releases next year.

What do you think, Screen Ranters? Do you want to see the Russo brothers direct Avengers: Infinity War?

The Avengers: Age of Ultron releases in theaters on May 1, 2015, followed by Ant-Man on July 17, 2015, Captain America: Civil War on May 6 2016, Doctor Strange on November 4, 2016, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 on May 5 2017, Thor: Ragnarok on July 28, 2017, Black Panther on November 3 2017, Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 on May 4 2018, Captain Marvel on July 6 2018, Inhumans on November 2 2018 and Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 on May 3 2019.