Joe Russo, who directed Hollywood blockbusters like The Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War, spoke about his upcoming projects at the Sands International Film Festival in Scotland. The filmmaker discussed his new series Citadel, starring Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden. He expressed his desire to support international film industries. These industries include Bollywood, to expand their reach. Russo praised SS Rajamouli's RRR for its storytelling. The film won an Oscar for Best Original Song, Nattu Nattu. He also stated that Hollywood needs to be more diverse and international, taking Bollywood as an example.
Russo is collaborating with Indian filmmakers Raj and DK to create an Indian version of Citadel. The series has Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu starring in lead roles. The original series will premiere on April 28, and the Indian version is in production. Russo has previously worked with Indian artists in Extraction and The Gray Man. He had cast actors such as Dhanush, Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, and Priyanshu Painyuli. He hinted at Dhanush's potential return as Avik San in the sequel of The Gray Man.
Russo commended the mythological storytelling, technical genius, and visual effects of RRR. He said those aspects made it appealing to a global audience. Russo's aim is to empower other film industries by supporting them and making their stories more accessible to a broader audience. Bollywood, in particular, has an essential role in the global film industry. But he said that its reach is limited to India. Russo's goal is to make Hollywood more diverse and international.
