Watch the Trailer for “Cherry,” a Crime Drama from Some of the MCU’s Biggest Players

The Russo Brothers haven't directed a movie that wasn't connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 15 years. After 2006's poorly received You, Me and Dupree, they returned to sitcoms. But when they were called up to helm 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, they became arguably the most important filmmakers in Hollywood. Their Captain America sequel and the final two Avengers films set worldwide box office records.

Now they're using their clout to make a passion project. The duo bought the rights to the novel Cherry the same month it was published, securing distribution from Apple in September 2020. Based on the real experiences of Nico Walker, Cherry tells the story of an Army medic whose PTSD and drug addiction force him into a life of crime. The Russos brought on their sister Angela to adapt, along with Jessica Goldberg (Hulu's The Path). The film marks a departure for both the Russos and star Tom Holland, best known as the latest incarnation of Spider-Man. Whether this decidedly adult role leads to a Christian Bale-like transition from child actor to serious thespian remains to be seen.

Cherry will have a limited theatrical release on February 26 and hit AppleTV+ two weeks later.

About Kip Mooney

Like many film critics born during and after the 1980s, my hero is Roger Ebert. The man was already the best critic in the nation when he won the Pulitzer in 1975, but his indomitable spirit during and after his recent battle with cancer keeps me coming back to read not only his reviews but his insightful commentary on the everyday. But enough about a guy you know a lot about. I knew I was going to be a film critic—some would say a snob—in middle school, when I had to voraciously defend my position that The Royal Tenenbaums was only a million times better than Adam Sandler’s remake of Mr. Deeds. From then on, I would seek out Wes Anderson’s films and avoid Sandler’s like the plague. Still, I like to think of myself as a populist, and I’ll be just as likely to see the next superhero movie as the next Sundance sensation. The thing I most deplore in a movie is laziness. I’d much rather see movies with big ambitions try and fail than movies with no ambitions succeed at simply existing. I’m also a big advocate of fun-bad movies like The Room and most of Nicolas Cage’s work. In the past, I’ve written for The Dallas Morning News and the North Texas Daily, which I edited for a semester. I also contributed to Dallas-based Pegasus News, which in the circle of life, is now part of The Dallas Morning News, where I got my big break in 2007. Eventually, I’d love to write and talk about film full-time, but until that’s a viable career option, I work as an auditor for Wells Fargo. I hope to one day meet my hero, go to the Toronto International Film Festival, and compete on Jeopardy. Until then, I’m excited to share my love of film with you.