- Primary Subject: Joe and Anthony Russo's non-MCU film inspirations for Avengers: Doomsday
- Key Update: Directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo revealed that Sergio Leone's 1968 Spaghetti Western classic Once Upon a Time in the West served as a major guiding template for Avengers: Doomsday.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: September 3, 2026
- Quick Answer: The Russo brothers revealed that Sergio Leone's 1968 classic Once Upon a Time in the West served as the primary non-MCU inspiration for Avengers: Doomsday.
Known for pulling influence from political thrillers like Three Days of Condor for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the directing duo has turned to another cinematic classic from the late 1960s to anchor the Multiverse Saga's next chapter in Avengers: Doomsday.
Which Non-MCU Film Inspired the Russo Brothers in Making Avengers: Doomsday?
In a recent interview with AP News, the Russo Brothers shared what inspired them to bring together the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four for the first time, and how the challenge in Avengers: Doomsday pales in comparison to Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame.
Apart from "soft prepping" Avengers: Secret Wars in the middle of Doomsday, the Russo Brothers believe that the Western has always been the perfect blueprint for combining crossover characters, which led them to reveal that one of the non-MCU films that inspired them was Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West.
"Joe and I grew up fans of all types of cinema, but Westerns have always been very special to us," Anthony said. "Throughout cinema history, the Western has been declared dead for decades, and then you can still make one of the greatest examples of the genre."
Why the Wild West Story Fits Into the MCU's Rebuilding Multiverse
At its core, Once Upon a Time in the West is the perfect story blueprint in combining three distinct factions: outlaws, lawmen, and opportunists, clashing over the single territory they find valuable for their own personal vendettas. Ring a bell with claiming the multiverse?
Just as Leone's characters fought for control of the land ahead of the expanding railroad, different hero and villain factions in Doomsday are fighting for the survival of their respective universes amid incoming multiversal incursions.
Once Upon a Time in the West centers on an antagonist driven by ruthless ambition and deep personal trauma, mirroring the Russos' plan to bring Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom as the complex force planning to reshape reality through sheer will.
Just as Leone reinvented Westerns when critics claimed the genre was past its prime, the Russos aim to use classic cinema principles to breathe fresh, grounded energy into superhero films.
In the meantime, fans will have to wait and see until Avengers: Doomsday finds its way into theaters on December 18, 2026. Stay tuned!
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