Anthony Russo and the We Love You 3000 Tour Visit the Twin Cities

Director Anthony Russo, left, with Twin Cities film critics Paul McGuire Grimes (Twin Cities Live), Ruth Maramis (FlixChatter), Jared Huizenga (Man versus Movie), and Mark McPherson (Twin Cities Geek).

Joe and Anthony Russo are the most prominent directors of Marvel Studios, having helmed the biggest films in the Avengers franchise. From their comedic television beginnings as directors on Arrested Development and Community, they landed the job of directing 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier and changed the whole course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The films that followed became bigger in cast and themes, from the explosive confrontation of Captain America: Civil War to the all-star epic that was Avengers: Endgame.

The Russo brothers have been very outwardly grateful to the fans for being with them on this cinematic journey and especially appreciated the help of their fans making Avengers: Endgame the biggest film of 2019. To thank those fans with more than just appreciative social media posts, the Russos hit the road for the We Love You 3000 nationwide tour in celebration of the home video release of Endgame. The name of the event is based off the banter between Tony Stark and his young daughter, who one-ups her dad’s “Love you tons” by saying she loves him “3,000” (which Tony then boasts about to wife Pepper Potts).

Fans move through the line.

For the Minnesota stop of the tour on August 14, 2019, Anthony Russo dropped by the Best Buy in Eden Prairie to meet fans and give out autographs. Many fans turned out—the line stretched around the building, and people began claiming their spots overnight. Despite the long wait, everyone looked exceptionally excited to meet one of the Russo brothers in person and receive an autograph. Russo may love the fans, but this event certainly showcases that this 3000-level love is mutual.

We Love You 3000 posters were available, and some fans brought their own merchandise to be signed, from the newly released Blu-ray of Endgame to giant-sized Infinity Gauntlets. I had a chance to briefly meet with the director and ask him about what he felt was the most important thing he’d wanted in Endgame.

Talking to Anthony Russo.

“The important things for us were especially the characters who were going to die in that movie,” he said. “[We were] making sure that we were giving Tony Stark a proper arc.” Though Tony was certainly an important aspect of the film, Russo also stated how important it was for Black Widow to be given a proper sendoff as well. He noted their dedication to “making sure that we were giving her a very fitting end to that story that she began so many years ago, so many movies ago in Iron Man 2.”

Character was certainly important to him overall, but especially the one hero he has spent most time directing over these many years. “It’s hard to say goodbye to those characters, especially Cap,” he said. “Even though it wasn’t a death, it certainly was closure for his character.”

Also present during the event were props from Avengers: Endgame, including Thor’s battle axe Stormbreaker, Iron Man’s chest piece, and the Captain America shield. Check out the photos from the event below. (More are also available on the We Love You 3000 tour page on the Marvel website.)

The event has now finished its nine-stop tour, ending at Disney’s D23 expo in Anaheim over the weekend. Avengers: Endgame is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital.