From ‘The Electric State’ to ‘Citadel,’ the Russo Brothers’ Projects Can Break the Bank. But Do They Pay Off?

variety.com:

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer Thanks to projects like this month’s “The Electric State,” Netflix’s most expensive movie ever, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have gained a reputation as one of the most profligate filmmakers in the industry.

In truth, the full output of their company, AGBO, covers a much wider spectrum of spending, with the Russos partnering with streamers, indie studios and Marvel alums on an array of splashy, action-oriented productions.

While their next films — 2026’s “Avengers: Doomsday” and 2027’s “Avengers: Secret Wars,” produced by Marvel and AGBO — will almost certainly cost a king’s ransom, the Russos have also amply demonstrated that the size of the budget does not necessarily correlate with the size of the audience. STXfilmsReported budget: $33 million Chadwick Boseman plays a dogged NYPD detective in this crime thriller, the Russos’ first production at AGBO. The result? $50 million in global box office grosses. NetflixReported budget: $65 million Chris Hemsworth plays an Australian mercenary hired to rescue a drug kingpin’s son in the directorial debut of Chris Evans’ stunt double, Sam Hargrave.

Joe Russo wrote the script. The result? 135.7 million views in first 91 days. NetflixReported budget: $20 million The Russos produced “21 Bridges” screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan’s directorial debut, a war film in Arabic based on an Iraqi SWAT team’s real-life battle against ISIS. The result? Netflix has not released viewership data, but it was reportedly popular throughout Europe and the Middle East. Apple Original FilmsReported budget: $42 million The Russos’ first directorial effort after “Avengers: Endgame” follows Tom Holland as a war veteran who turns to bank robbery to pay for.