After the barnstorming success of Avengers: Endgame, directors Joe and Anthony Russo would be forgiven for wanting some much-needed time off.
Because let’s face it, alongside writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, they helped deliver what is arguably the pitch-perfect conclusion to MCU Phase 3 (plot holes and all), all the while teeing up the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. And all of this after the equally massive Avengers: Infinity War just 12 months ago.
Nevertheless, it seems the Russo Brothers have located their first big post-Endgame project: Magic: the Gathering. The world-famous collectible card game is headed to Netflix, it seems, after the streaming giant today announced a new animated series based on Magic and its beloved lore, with the Russos expected to “oversee the creation of an all-new storyline and expand on the stories of the Planeswalkers.”
In a joint statement, the creative duo revealed that they’ve been huge fans of Magic the Gathering for years, and that this has become something of a passion project.
We have been huge fans and players of Magic: The Gathering for as long as it has been around, so being able to help bring these stories to life through animation is a true passion project for us.
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT TIME: Netflix and Wizards of the Coast are teaming up with Joe and Anthony Russo to make a Magic: The Gathering anime series and this teaser of Chandra has me asking QUESTIONS. pic.twitter.com/vljlEtl0Mq
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) June 3, 2019
The official word from Netflix reveals that Joe and Anthony Russo will executive produce this animated interpretation of Magic: the Gathering, surrounded by a team comprised of Henry Gilroy (Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Jose Molina (The Tick, Jordan Peele’s Weird City). The latter duo will serve as showrunners, too, with Yoriaki Mochizuki of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse fame on board as supervising director and co-executive producer.
All in all, this is a tantalizing collection of talent for Netflix’s latest original series, and the fact that the online streaming giant found great success with Castlevania leaves us hopeful that Magic: the Gathering will deliver the goods. Mind you, after crafting a string of top-tier MCU films, Joe and Anthony Russo’s involvement is good enough for us.
