The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Hundreds line up to meet Avengers co-director
They came from far and wide on Aug. 15 to meet one of the creative talents behind the biggest film of all-time.
For Jennifer Bray of Buffalo, the trip to the Best Buy in Parma — plus an overnight in a tent in front of the store — was worth it.
Bray was the first in line among a crowd that grew well into the hundreds at the Best Buy for the “We Love You 3,000” tour on Aug. 15. The event promoted the Blu Ray release of mega-hit “Avengers: Endgame.”
“Just to intersect with this event in cinematic history,” said Bray about her decision to make the trek to Northeast Ohio. “The Avengers (films) are a huge part of my life. Just seeing the props on display, I’ll remember that forever.”
Bray said “Endgame” was a “masterpiece,” so it made perfect sense to do all she could to meet one of the persons responsible.
The guest everyone lined up for was Anthony Russo, who with brother Joe codirected the film that overtook “Avatar” as the biggest box-office hit of all time. In July, “Endgame” surpassed James Cameron’s sci-fi blockbuster that earned $2.788 billion in 2008. The box-office haul for “Endgame” is a reported $2.795 billion.
The “We Love You 3,000” tour began at San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego in July and has spanned across to the country to Russo’s hometown of Cleveland and with good reason.
The Russo brothers grew up in Mayfield Village, graduated from Benedictine High School, earned their undergrad degrees at separate colleges, then together earned graduate degrees from Case Western Reserve University. From there, they embarked on their movie career.
Second in line at Best Buy to meet Russo was a man from North Carolina who wished to not be identified followed by a family from Lorain County.
Michael Wooley Sr. of North Ridgeville was joined by his sister Tonya Cruz of Elyria as well his daughter Alexandria and son Michael Jr., who was allowed to miss a school orientation to meet and thank Russo.
Wooley Sr. said he and his family arrived at Best Buy a little after 9 p.m. on Aug. 14, and slept overnight with no regrets.
“I just want to meet the man, and say thank you,” said Wooley Sr. “I’m just going to tell him he did a great job and maybe you can make another (Avengers film). Or two, three, four. They were great movies.”
In addition to “Endgame,” the Russo brothers directed “Captain America: Winter Soldier,” “Captain America: Civil War,” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Those happen to be the favorite Marvel Studios films of Jake Brossart, who along with his friend Connor Schubert drove up from the Cincinnati area on Aug. 14 then slept overnight in front of the store to be one of the first in line to meet Russo.
“Meeting Anthony was one of my dreams,” said Brossart, a sophomore at Miami (Ohio). “It’s awesome. I’m excited we got here early. Just want to thank him for all the awesome movies he’s created for the fans.”
An official at the Best Buy store estimated there were at least 500 in line to meet Russo before the 5:30 p.m. event began, but that was well before 5 p.m. on Aug. 15. Closer to the start time, the crowd that lined alongside the store ballooned to the range of 750 — and perhaps more.