When Avengers released Endgame in 2019, it was the most hit movie theaters. It culminated in a storytelling story that was brought forward with more than 20 films, and which delighted audiences around the globe. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the film MCU became the highest grossing film ever and the directors who accomplished that act are now up for a new challenge. Embracing the new norm, their next film Cherry is releasing in select theaters and then a global release on Apple TV +.
In a group interview, Russo Brothers talked about the subject of the film, working with Tom Holland and the theater vs streaming debate. Cherry, based on the novel of the same name by Nico Walker, follows the story of a young (Dutch) veteran, who is dealing with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), drugs and resort robberies to support banks.
Anthony concluded with indianexpress.com that when they first read the novel, it seemed like “the experience of war, and also the experience of drug addiction, is a very modern perspective. ” He said, “We know people, both friends and family members who have struggled with opioid addiction, and who have even died from opioid addiction. So, it affected us on a personal level. ”
Speaking about the unique visual grammar featured in the film’s trailer, Joe said they wanted to translate the “flow of awareness in the book and how we talked about how to do it.” e, we began to explore the idea. that stylistic techniques could help us to unravel the psychology of the character in a visual medium. ”
Cherry is celebrating their fourth collaboration with Tom Holland but this is their first time working with him in a non-Spider-Man role. Tom had a challenge ahead of him with Cherry but Joe thinks he “committed himself to this role.” “He was very careful about showing bad drugs and someone suffering from PTSD. I think he really wanted to do justice to the pain these people were feeling, and to the mental health issues they were struggling with. It’s such a great achievement ‘ It’s as hard as we’ve ever been and it’s as hard as we’ve ever seen an actor work, and we have incredible respect for him, “said Joe.
Tom Holland in a distillery from Cherry. (Photo: Apple TV +)
Anthony and Joe, after Avengers Endgame and other MCU blockers, realized that they were in a “special position” to “make difficult films about a challenging subject” because they had “built this capital. So for them, Cherry was going to be that special film that challenged the traditional ropes.
For the directors who saw the best time of their careers at theaters, switching to a streaming platform might be a big change but Russo Brothers is always looking for innovation and had that opportunity at its best. this collaboration. “We love digital distribution because, we think, it democratizes filmmaking. What we are seeing with the advent of digital distribution is that it thrives when it takes risks, ”said Joe. But is the theater model dead? Joe believes otherwise. “We believe that theater experience is going to come back stronger than ever,” he said.
Russo Brothers on the Avengers Endgame set. (Photo: RussoBrothers / Instagram)
Commenting on the digital model, Joe explained, “There are various metrics for measuring success that are not just financial. When you choose to focus solely on finance, that’s when you get into situations where studios become more conservative with the type of stuff they put out. I think digital distributors have done a great job bringing that model back. ” He said it was “easier for people to access digital distribution” because it was “cheaper” than going to a theater. “They will get more stories for their money,” he said. He thinks theaters and streaming “stand together” and “they’re just going to make each other better.”
Anthony raised his thoughts and shared with us, “We’ve made films for as little money as you can make, and we’ve made films for as much money as possible you make a film. We are so keen that global audiences are becoming more and more connected to each other, and that they are able to experience these films, whether through theater or through streaming, together. and communication about them. ”
Russo Brothers made the film 2020 Extraction. It was released worldwide on Netflix. (Photo: Netflix)
After Cherry, Russo Brothers is looking forward to the release of their next project which is a web series for Prime Video called Citadel, starring Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden.
Cherry will air in select theaters on Feb. 26. It will air worldwide on Apple TV + on March 12th.