From ‘The Electric State’ to ‘Citadel,’ the Russo Brothers’ Projects Can Break the Bank. But Do They Pay Off?

Thanks to projects like this month’s “The Electric State,” Netflix’s most expensive movie ever, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have gained a reputation as one of the most profligate filmmakers in the industry. In truth, the full output of their company, AGBO, covers a much wider spectrum of spending, with the Russos partnering with streamers, indie studios and Marvel alums on an array of splashy, action-oriented productions. While their next films — 2026’s “Avengers: Doomsday” and 2027’s “Avengers: Secret Wars,” produced by Marvel and AGBO — will almost certainly cost a king’s ransom, the Russos have also amply demonstrated that the size of the budget does not necessarily correlate with the size of the audience.
STXfilmsReported budget: $33 million
Chadwick Boseman plays a dogged NYPD detective in this crime thriller, the Russos’ first production at AGBO. The result? $50 million in global box office grosses.
NetflixReported budget: $65 million
Chris Hemsworth plays an Australian mercenary hired to rescue a drug kingpin’s son in the directorial debut of Chris Evans’ stunt double, Sam Hargrave. Joe Russo wrote the script. The result? 135.7 million views in first 91 days.
NetflixReported budget: $20 million
The Russos produced “21 Bridges” screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan’s directorial debut, a war film in Arabic based on an Iraqi SWAT team’s real-life battle against ISIS. The result? Netflix has not released viewership data, but it was reportedly popular throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Apple Original FilmsReported budget: $42 million
The Russos’ first directorial effort after “Avengers: Endgame” follows Tom Holland as a war veteran who turns to bank robbery to pay for his drug addiction. The result? Apple has not released viewership data.
A24Reported budget: $25 million
AGBO worked with the Daniels to develop the screenplay for their multiversal action dramedy, which won seven Oscars, including best picture and best actress for Michelle Yeoh. The result? $143.4 million in global box office grosses.
NetflixReported budget: $200 million
Ryan Gosling stars as the titular CIA agent, who is hunted by a ruthless mercenary played by a mustachioed Chris Evans. The Russos directed, and Joe Russo co-wrote the script. The result? 41.2 million views in first week; 139.3 million views in first 91 days
Prime VideoReported budget: $250 million for six-episode first season
Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra and Stanley Tucci star in this spy thriller TV series that dealt with COVID protocols and underwent extensive reshoots after the Russos were unsatisfied with the first season. The result? The only concrete viewership data is from Nielsen’s charts for the Season 1 finale week, when the show peaked with 273 million minutes viewed in the U.S., or approximately 1.1 million views based on runtime. (Amazon says that Nielsen only measured 35% of the show’s audience, as the other 65% was international, but that data is for 28 days after the finale.)
Note: AGBO also produced the spin-off series “Citadel: Diana,” set in Italy, and “Citadel: Honey Bunny,” set in India. No specific budget or viewership data is available for either title.
NetflixReported budget: $90 million
The team from the first film return for the sequel, which includes a cameo from Idris Elba. The result? 42.8 million views in first week; 134.9 million views in its first 91 days
NetflixReported budget: $275 million
Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown star in a sci-fi adventure set in an alternate U.S. ravaged by a war between humanity and robots. The Russos directed. The result? 25.2 million views in first week; 47.7 million in first 10 days