Anthony and Joe Russo Reveal the Unsung Hero of Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Amoeba Music in Hollywood California was host this week to a special signing event for the home video release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo were on-hand to greet eager fans while, outside, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents led attendees through an interactive course that let them play out a variation of the vending machine scene from this year’s Marvel Studios blockbuster.

By the time the vending machine was officially unveiled, a lengthy line of fans (several in cosplay outfits!) had formed. Monitored by faux S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, they were led to a vending machine filled with flash drives and asked to pick a number corresponding to a drive. When that drive was properly vended, attendees were led to a black S.H.I.E.L.D. truck and helped by agents to reveal a prize hidden within the drive. One winner even received tickets to the Los Angeles premiere of next summer’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Inside the store was another surprise, however, as the legendary Stan “The Man” Lee decided to stop by to surprise the Russos, offering his own signature to fans as well. After all, the film just wouldn’t have been the same without his cameo as a Smithsonian guard (although the Air and Space Museum might still have a uniform).

Speaking of cameos, we caught up with Joe Russo, who had his own cameo as one of the surgeons working on Nick Fury.

“If you’re now established in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a surgeon,” we asked, “Does that mean that you’re in the running to play Doctor Strange?”

“Yep!” he laughed. “It’s down to me and Joaquin!”

The Russos also offered another tongue-in-cheek surprise, revealing a hidden vigilante hero of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. When Nick Fury is being attacked in the streets, he gets the moment he needs to escape when a yellow Penske truck slams into his attackers. Later, when Agent Sitwell is thrown into traffic, guess what hits him? Not just a Penske truck, but the Russos reveal, the very same Penske truck.

“The man who drives that truck,” Joe deadpans, joking that the driver is a candidate for a future Marvel One-Shot, “Is very highly trained. He thinks on his own terms. He’s got a plan and a very specific skill set.”

Check out a recent full interview with the Russos by clicking here and check out a series of photos from the signing event in the gallery viewer below: