Avengers: Doomsday Was Filmed Without a Finished Script, Joe Russo Explains Why

Avengers: Doomsday was filmed without a completely finished screenplay, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo say the unconventional production approach was intentional rather than a sign that Marvel was unprepared. Joe Russo explained that the brothers prefer to allow the script to evolve through rehearsals, improvisation and the performances of the actors.

Speaking to the Associated Press for an interview about the upcoming Marvel movie, Joe Russo said,

“We always view the script as a living organism.”

He added that the filmmaking duo are “improvisation-based, rehearsal-based directors” who want to discover what performers bring to their characters before locking every creative decision into the screenplay. 

The comments provide new context for the production of one of Marvel Studios’ most ambitious upcoming projects. Rather than treating the screenplay as something that must remain completely fixed throughout filming, the Russos appear comfortable making adjustments as the cast and performances shape the movie.

Why the Russo Brothers Are Comfortable Changing the Avengers: Doomsday Script

Joe Russo explained to the Associated Press that actors sometimes only become available shortly before their scenes are filmed. Because of that, the directors believe there can be value in waiting to see how performers interpret their characters before finalizing certain material.

“We like to see what the actors bring to the characters,”

Russo said. He explained that sometimes the cast members arrive only

“a few days or few weeks before you shoot them,”

adding that

“a lot of the time, that’s when the magic happens.”

That approach is particularly notable for Avengers: Doomsday, which features an enormous ensemble of characters from different corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie brings together the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Wakandans, New Avengers and X-Men, while Robert Downey Jr. returns to Marvel in a completely different role as Doctor Doom. 

The film has also undergone major changes since it was first announced. Marvel originally developed the project as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, with Jonathan Majors’ Kang expected to serve as the central villain. Following Marvel’s decision to part ways with Majors, the project was reworked, eventually becoming Avengers: Doomsday with Doctor Doom at the center.

The Russo Brothers’ return is also significant because Doomsday marks their first MCU movie since directing Avengers: Endgame. The filmmakers previously directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, making them closely associated with Marvel’s biggest ensemble films. 

Their approach does contrast with criticism from filmmakers who believe major productions should not begin filming until their screenplays are complete. DC Studios co-head James Gunn, for example, has previously argued strongly against making movies without finalized scripts, saying that a screenplay needs to be ready before production begins.

For Avengers: Doomsday, however, the Russos maintain that an evolving screenplay is part of their creative process. With the movie scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026, audiences will soon see whether their flexible approach translates into another successful Marvel ensemble.