Joe and Anthony Russo‘s Avengers: Endgame will surely break box office records when it hits cinemas in April. That will probably be the film the duo is always known for, but their MCU success is opening up other creative avenues for them. The brothers have now found their post-Avengers project – an adaptation of Nico Walker‘s semi-autobiographical novel, Cherry.
The book was published just last year. It tells the story of an Iraq War veteran who comes home, only to struggle with PTSD and opioid addiction. He begins robbing banks to fund his addiction.
Throughout the story, the narrator and protagonist are unnamed, but the events are heavily based on Walker’s own experiences; he’s been behind bars since 2013 and wrote the novel from there. However, he is set to be released in 2020, which should be just in time to see Tom Holland star in the adaptation.
The brothers acquired the rights to Cherry for $1 million through their AGBO studio. They will direct from a script written by Jessica Goldberg (The Path), and the current plan is to start filming this summer for a 2020 release.
Because the MCU is such a behemoth, it’s hard to say the Russo brothers have put a distinctive, authorial stamp on the franchise. But they have crafted some of the biggest films of all time, which takes both talent and remarkable composure. It will be interesting to see what they can do with a smaller, fact-based drama.
Avengers: Endgame hits cinemas Friday, April 26. Holland can be seen again in Spider-Man: Far From Home from Friday, July 5.
#Peace.Love.Cherry
