Joe and Anthony Russo are on track to clinch the top spot on the elite list of highest-grossing directors in history with Avengers: Secret Wars. Superhero cinema has rewritten the rules of modern box office economics, but few filmmakers have leveraged the genre quite like the Russo brothers. Transforming a handful of massive Marvel blockbusters into historic financial juggernauts, the directing duo did not just contribute to the superhero boom - they permanently redefined what a franchise film could achieve on a global scale. 

Now, this boom will provide them with the ink with which they will make an indelible mark on history.

It may come as a bit of a surprise to find out that there are not many Marvel directors among the highest-grossing filmmakers of all time, considering the MCU's box office success for almost twenty years. Only Joe and Anthony Russo, two of the top ten, have contributed their skills to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's biggest blockbusters. 

Returning to the MCU, that director duo will be in charge of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will put them in a position to create some noteworthy box office history. The Numbers reports that the cumulative global box office receipts from Joe and Anthony Russo's flicks are $6.762 billion. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame alone account for about $5 billion of that total, but it is still a remarkable amount. 

Only three directors in history have made more money with their films: Steven Spielberg ($10.723 billion), James Cameron ($10.147 billion), and Christopher Nolan ($7.35 billion). By the end of the Multiverse Saga, the Russos have a good chance of becoming members of this very exclusive box office club because they are back in the Marvel sandbox.

Will Henry Cavill Return as Wolverine in 'Avengers: Doomsday' and 'Secret Wars?'

We understand the implications, but let us also understand the maths behind it.

Prior to Avengers: Doomsday's premiere in December, the Russos are roughly $3.2 billion away from reaching the $10 billion mark. Therefore, for the brothers to reach the milestone, Doomsday and Secret Wars must each make more than $1.6 billion. But if they want to beat Spielberg's record, both movies must make $2.1 billion each to give them a $4.2 billion boost - the exact sum they need to reach the top spot. 

That is a big lot of money, especially considering how much the theater industry has changed in the last few years. However, these next two Avengers flicks seem like the best chances for the Russos to rewrite history. And if Doomsday’s pre-sales record is any indication, these last two movies of Phase 6 will be the Russos' ticket to a historic first-place finish on the highest-grossing directors list. 

"He's God of Stories Now"- Iman Vellani Predicts Loki's Massive Role in 'Avengers Doomsday'

Do you think the Russos will make history with Avengers: Secret Wars? Do let us know.