The Avengers (2012 film)

The Avengers (titled Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom) is an upcoming American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures1, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast, which includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, and Samuel L. Jackson. In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America to save the world from destruction.                                                               Development of The Avengers began when Marvel Studios received a grant from Merrill Lynch in April 2005. After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008, Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011. With the signing of Scarlett Johansson in March 2009, the film was pushed back for a 2012 release. Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the screenplay that was originally written by Zak Penn. Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving to Cleveland, Ohio in August 2011 and New York City in September 2011. The film was converted to 3D in post-production.

The Avengers is scheduled for release on May 4, 2012 in the United States in 2D and 3D.

Premise

Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., assembles a group of superheroes that includes Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk to fight a new enemy that is threatening the safety of the world.

Cast

• Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man:

A self-described genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist with a mechanical suit of armor of his own invention. Downey was cast as part of his four-picture deal with Marvel Studios, which includes Iron Man 2 and The Avengers.Downey stated that he initially pushed Whedon to make Stark the lead revealing, "Well, I said, ‘I need to be in the opening sequence. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but Tony needs to drive this thing.’ He was like, ‘Okay, let’s try that.’ We tried it and it didn’t work, because this is a different sort of thing, the story and the idea and the theme is the theme, and everybody is just an arm of the octopus."About the character's evolution from previous films, Downey commented, "In Iron Man, which was an origin story, he was his own epiphany and redemption of sorts. Iron Man 2 is all about not being an island, dealing with legacy issues and making space for others... In The Avengers, he's throwing it down with the others".

• Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America:

A World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum. Evans was cast as part of a deal to star in three Marvel films, in addition to The Avengers.Evans stated that Steve Rogers is much darker in The Avengers, explaining, "It’s just about him trying to come to terms with the modern world. You’ve got to imagine, it’s enough of a shock to accept the fact that you’re in a completely different time, but everybody you know is dead. Everybody you cared about... He was a soldier, obviously, everybody he went to battle with, all of his brothers in arms, they’re all dead. He’s just lonely. I think in the beginning it’s a fish out of water scene, and it’s tough. It’s a tough pill for him to swallow. Then comes trying to find a balance with the modern world."Regarding the dynamic between Captain America and Tony Stark, Evans remarked, "I think there's certainly a dichotomy—this kind of friction between myself and Tony Stark, they're polar opposites. One guy is flash and spotlight and smooth, and the other guy is selfless and in the shadows and kind of quiet and they have to get along. They explore that, and it's pretty fun".

• Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk:

A genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or excited. Ruffalo was cast after negotiations between Marvel and Edward Norton broke down.About replacing Edward Norton, Ruffalo said, "I'm a friend of Ed's, and yeah, that wasn't a great way for all that to go down. But the way I see it is that Ed has bequeathed this part to me. I look at it as my generation's Hamlet." About the character he stated, "He's a guy struggling with two sides of himself—the dark and the light—and everything he does in his life is filtered through issues of control. I grew up on the Bill Bixby TV series, which I thought was a really nuanced and real human way to look at the Hulk. I like that the part has those qualities".Regarding the Hulk's place on the team Ruffalo said, "He's like the teammate none of them are sure they want on their team. He's a loose cannon. It's like, 'Just throw a grenade in the middle of the group and let's hope it turns out well"! Ruffalo also told New York magazine that unlike previous incarnations, he will actually play the Hulk, "I'm really excited. No one's ever played the Hulk exactly, they've always done CGI. They're going to do the Avatar stop-action, stop-motion capture. So I'll actually play the Hulk. That'll be fun".About his preparation for the role Ruffalo joked, "I've lost 15 pounds and I've put another five on of just strapping, pure USDA beef... They want me mean and lean, but they don't want me big and buff".

Lou Ferrigno will voice the Hulk.

• Chris Hemsworth as Thor:

The god of thunder based on the Norse deity of the same name. Hemsworth was cast as part of a multiple movie deal.He had previously worked with Joss Whedon on The Cabin in the Woods.Hemsworth stated that he was able to maintain the strength he built up for Thor by increasing his food intake, consisting of a number of chicken breasts, fish, steak and eggs a day. When asked exactly how much, Hemsworth joked, "My body weight in protein pretty much!"About Thor's motivations Hemsworth remarked, "I think [Thor's] motivation is much more of a personal one, in the sense that it’s his brother that is stirring things up. Whereas everyone else, it’s some bad guy who they’ve gotta take down. It’s a different approach for me, or for Thor. He’s constantly having to battle the greater good and what he should do vs. it’s his little brother there... I’ve been frustrated with my brothers at times, or family, but I’m the only one who is allowed to be angry at them. There’s a bit of that."

• Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow:

A highly trained spy working for the international peacekeeping organization, S.H.I.E.L.D.About the character and her relationship with Hawkeye, Johansson commented, "Our characters have a long history, they've fought together for a long time in a lot of battles in many different countries. We're the two members of this avenging group who are skilled warriors - we have no superpowers. Black Widow is definitely one of the team though. She's not in the cast simply to be a romantic foil or eye candy. She's there to fight, so I never felt like I was the only girl. We all have our various skills and it feels equal".Regarding her training Johansson stated, "Even though Iron Man 2 was ‘one-for-them,’ I’d never done anything like that before. I’d never been physically driven in something, or a part of something so big. For The Avengers, I’ve spent so many months training with our stunt team, and fighting all the other actors, it’s crazy. I do nothing but fight—all the time."

• Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye:

A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and master archer known in the comics as the "World’s Greatest Marksman".Renner said it was a very physical role and that he trained physically and practiced archery as much as possible in preparation.About the role, Renner remarked, "When I saw Iron Man, I thought that was a really kick-ass approach to superheroes. Then they told me about this Hawkeye character, and I liked how he wasn't really a superhero; he's just a guy with a high skill set. I could connect to that.Regarding Hawkeye's sniper mentality, Renner stated, "It's a lonely game. He's an outcast. His only connection is to Scarlett's character, Natasha. It's like a left hand/right hand thing. They coexist, and you need them both, especially when it comes to a physical mission."Renner said Hawkeye is not insecure about his humanity explaining, "Quite the opposite, he’s the only one who can really take down The Hulk with his [tranquilizer-tipped] arrows. He knows his limitations. But when it comes down to it, there has to be a sense of confidence in any superhero."

• Tom Hiddleston as Loki:

Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name.In regard to his character's evolution from the film Thor, Hiddleston stated, "I think the Loki we see in The Avengers is further advanced. You have to ask yourself the question: how pleasant an experience is it disappearing into a wormhole that has been created by some kind of super nuclear explosion of his own making? So I think by the time Loki shows up in The Avengers he's seen a few things."About Loki's motivations, Hiddleston remarked, "At the beginning of The Avengers, he comes to Earth to subjugate it and his idea is to rule the human race as their king. And like all the delusional autocrats of human history, he thinks this is a great idea because if everyone is busy worshipping him, there will be no wars so he will create some kind of world peace by ruling them as a tyrant. But he is also kind of deluded in the fact that he thinks unlimited power will give him self respect so I haven't let go of the fact that he is still motivated by this terrible jealousy and kind of spiritual desolation".

• Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury:

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who was revealed in previous films to be coordinating the "Avenger Initiative". Jackson was brought to the project with a deal containing an option to play the character in up to nine Marvel films.

• Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill:

A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works closely with Jackson's Nick Fury.Smulders, whom Joss Whedon once considered for his unproduced live-action Wonder Woman film, was selected from a short list of potential actresses including Morena Baccarin. Smulders' deal would integrate her into nine films.Regarding her preparation, Smulders stated, "I hired this amazing black-ops trainer to teach me how to hold a gun, take me to a shooting range, how to hit, how to hold myself, how to walk and basically how to look. I don't do a ton of fighting in the movie, which is why I wasn't offered a trainer, but I wanted to look like I had the ability to. And I really just got down and dirty with the character, but then I finally went on set; when you're about to roll, all the "blubbity blue" you've been working on kind of messes with you. And you become a little bit detached." [sic]On relating to the character, Smulders commented, "I can relate to her being a mom and being a business woman and trying to work full time and raising a family and having a career. We’re asked to do a lot of things these days. I feel she is just all about her job and keeping things going."

Clark Gregg, Stellan Skarsgård and Gwyneth Paltrow reprise their roles from previous films as Phil Coulson, Erik Selvig and Pepper Potts respectively.Paul Bettany returns to voice JARVIS.Avengers co-creator Stan Lee will have a cameo appearance.

Production

Development

"It goes back to the very first incarnation of The Avengers, it goes to The Ultimates, it goes to everything about it. It makes no sense, it's ridiculous. There's a thunder god, there's a green "id" giant rage monster, there's Captain America from the 40s, there's Tony Stark who definitely doesn't get along with anybody. Ultimately these people don't belong together and the whole movie is about finding yourself from community. And finding that you not only belong together but you need each other, very much. Obviously this will be expressed through punching but it will be the heart of the film."

Joss Whedon, director of The Avengers, about the film.

Marvel Studios chair-CEO Avi Arad first announced plans to develop an Avengers film in April 2005 after Marvel Enterprises declared independence by pacting with Merrill Lynch to produce a slate of films that would be distributed by Paramount Pictures.In September 2006 Marvel confirmed their crossover plans in a brief presentation to Wall Street analysts. The studio's plan was to release individual films for the main characters, to establish their identities and familiarize audiences with them, before merging the characters together in an Avengers movie.Marvel Studios announced in July 2007 that screen writer Zak Penn, who wrote The Incredible Hulk, had been hired to write the film and will be titled, The Avengers.Penn confirmed his involvement but said he did not believe work would begin soon.

In January 2008, Marvel struck a deal with the striking Writers Guild of America so that the company could go back to work on films based on its comic book characters, including Captain America, Ant-Man and The Avengers.After the successful release of Iron Man in May, Marvel announced that The Avengers is scheduled for release in July 2011.In September Paramount signed an agreement with Marvel Studios that locks Paramount in as the worldwide distributor of Marvel's next five self-produced feature films. The partnership extended a 2005 agreement that saw Paramount agreeing to distribute as many as ten Marvel films.In October it was announced that Robert Downey, Jr. and Don Cheadle would reprise their Iron Man 2 roles as Iron Man and War Machine respectively in The Avengers. However Don Cheadle later revealed in a January 2011 interview that he will not be appearing in The Avengers despite previous reports.It was also announced that Jon Favreau will executive produce the film.Also in October, Marvel Studios signed a long-term lease with Raleigh Studios to film four big-budget movies at Raleigh's Manhattan Beach, California complex. The films are Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers. Lou Ferrigno, who voiced Hulk in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, stated that he would be involved in the film.

In February 2009, Samuel L. Jackson signed a nine-picture deal with Marvel Entertainment to play the role of Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 and other films including vehicles for Captain America, Thor, the Avengers, and S.H.I.E.L.D.In March it was reported that Scarlett Johansson had replaced Emily Blunt in Iron Man 2, a deal that also tied her to The Avengers. The following day Marvel announced that the release date for The Avengers had been pushed back to May 4, 2012, almost a full year later.In June, Marvel's president of production Kevin Feige confirmed that Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston would reprise their roles as Thor and Loki, respectively, in The Avengers.

In July screenwriter Zak Penn talked about the crossover process, stating, "My job is to kind of shuttle between the different movies and make sure that finally we're mimicking that comic book structure where all of these movies are connected... There's just a board that tracks 'Here's where everything that happens in this movie overlaps with that movie'... I'm pushing them to do as many animatics as possible to animate the movie, to draw boards so that we're all working off the same visual ideas. But the exigencies of production take first priority".The following month, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Fiege stated he would introduce more characters into The Avengers and that the Hulk would factor in the film. In September, Edward Norton stated that he was open to returning as The Hulk for The Avengers.The next month, executive producer Jon Favreau stated that he would not direct the film but will "...definitely have input and a say". Favreau also expressed concerns stating, "It's going to be hard, because I was so involved in creating the world of Iron Man and Iron Man is very much a tech-based hero, and then with 'Avengers' you're going to be introducing some supernatural aspects because of Thor. ... [Mixing] the two of those works very well in the comic books, but it's going to take a lot of thoughtfulness to make that all work and not blow the reality that we've created".

In January 2010, Kevin Feige was asked if it will be difficult to meld the fantasy of Thor with the high-tech science fiction in Iron Man and The Avengers. "No," he said, "because we're doing the Jack Kirby/Stan Lee/Walt Simonson/J. Michael Straczynski Thor. We're not doing the blow-the-dust-off-of-the-old-Norse-book-in-your-library Thor. And in the Thor of the Marvel Universe, there's a race called the Asgardians. And we're linked through this Tree of Life that we're unaware of. It's real science, but we don't know about it yet. The 'Thor' movie is about teaching people that". In March it was reported that Zak Penn had completed the first draft of the script, and that Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada and Avengers comic-book writer Brian Michael Bendis had received copies. Also in March it was reported that Chris Evans would reprise the role of Captain America in The Avengers.In April 2010, Variety reported that Joss Whedon was close to completing a deal to direct the film, and to rework Penn's script.

Pre-production

At the 2010 Wizard World convention Avengers creator Stan Lee and Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad confirmed Joss Whedon's involvement.Arad praised the decision by stating, "My personal opinion is that Joss will do a fantastic job. He loves these characters and is a fantastic writer... It's part of his life so you know he is going to protect it... I expect someone like him is going to make the script even better".

In June 2010, it was reported that Jeremy Renner was in final negotiations to play Hawkeye in the film.

The following month, Marvel Comics said it declined to have Edward Norton reprise his role as Bruce Banner.The next day Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, confirmed the report stating, "We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Samuel, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks."In response Norton's agent Brian Swardstrom called Feige's statement "purposefully misleading" and an "inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light".

Joss Whedon announced at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International that he is directing The Avengers. Whedon mentioned that he was a fan of the early Avengers comics while growing up. He also said he is still writing an outline for the film and that what drew him to the movie is that he loves how "these people shouldn't be in the same room let alone on the same team—and that is the definition of family". Whedon also confirmed that Jeremy Renner would play Hawkeye.It was reported during the convention that Mark Ruffalo would replace Edward Norton as Bruce Banner in a deal reached by Ruffalo's agency with Marvel. During the Marvel Studios panel, it was announced Clark Gregg would reprise his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson.

In August 2010, it was reported that Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios were planning to start shooting in February .It was also reported that the film would be shot in 3D.However Mark Ruffalo later tweeted that it would not be filmed in 3D.

In October 2010, it was reported that Marvel Studios will shoot The Avengers partly at Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York and at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, New York City.Set construction was slated to begin in November.Also in October, The Walt Disney Company agreed to pay Paramount at least $115 million for the worldwide distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers.The deal also allowed Paramount to continue to collect the 8% box office fee it would have earned for distributing the film and placement of the company's logo on marketing materials, even though Marvel's films are fully owned, distributed and marketed by Disney. Paramount's Epix also retained pay TV rights.

In December 2010, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Marvel Studios Co-president Louis D'Esposito announced The Avengers would film primarily in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with principal photography scheduled for April through September 2011. Parts of the film were also scheduled to be shot in Michigan,but a plan to film in Detroit ended after Governor Rick Snyder issued a budget proposal that would eliminate a film tax incentive.

In February 2011, Marvel began conducting screen tests for the role of a key member of S.H.I.E.L.D. who Samuel L. Jackson described as Nick Fury's sidekick.Four days later it was reported that Cobie Smulders was wrapping up a deal for the role later revealed to be that of Maria Hill.

In March 2011, Stellan Skarsgård confirmed he would play the same role as he did in Thor, Doctor Selvig.Also in March, Ohio Governor John Kasich announced before Mayor Frank G. Jackson's State of the City address that The Avengers will film in Cleveland.

Concept illustrator and designer of Iron Man's Mark VII armor, Phil Saunders stated that "Joss Whedon was looking for something that had the 'cool' factor of the suitcase suit [from Iron Man 2], while still being a fully armored, heavy duty suit that could take on an army in the final battle." To that end, Saunders borrowed ideas that had been proposed in Iron Man 2 as well as some ideas that had been abandoned in Iron Man and merged them together in a modular suit that has big ammo packets on the arms and a backpack.The Science & Entertainment Exchange also provided science consultation for the film.

Filming

Principal photography began on April 25, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico with filming scheduled to continue in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City.The following day Paul Bettany confirmed he would return to voice Tony Stark's computerized assistant, JARVIS.In May 2011, Gwyneth Paltrow stated that she might "possibly" appear very briefly in the film as Pepper Potts.Also in May, Stan Lee confirmed through his Twitter account that he will have a cameo appearance in the film unless they "shoot it on the moon". In June, stuntman Jeremy Fitzgerald injured his head while attempting a stunt involving a 30-foot fall from a building after getting hit by an arrow. A Marvel spokesperson later told TMZ.com that, "[Fitzgerald] was fine. He slid briefly along the side of the building. He got right back up and did several more takes."In July 2011, it was reported that secondary filming took place about an hour outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the Butler area.

In August 2011, production moved to Cleveland, Ohio for four weeks. The city's East 9th Street was chosen as a double for New York City's 42nd Street to be used in climactic battle scenes.Army Reserve soldiers assigned to the Columbus, Ohio-based 391st Military Police Battalion provided background action during the battle scenes in Cleveland. Staff Sgt. Michael T. Landis stated the use of real soldiers made the scenes more realistic and helped portray the Army in a more positive light, explaining that, "It's easy for us to make on-the-spot corrections to tactics and uniforms, the director actually took our recommendation on one scene and let us all engage the enemy as opposed to only the gunners in the trucks engaging".Filming also took place in the large vacuum chamber at the NASA Plum Brook Station near Sandusky, Ohio. The station's Space Power Facility was used to portray a S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility.A series of explosions were filmed at the Chevrolet powertrain plant in Parma, Ohio as part of the battle sequence that began in Cleveland.Scenes from the film were also shot on Public Square and the Detroit–Superior Bridge.The southwest quadrant of Public Square was turned into Stuttgart, Germany, for filming.

In September 2011, production moved to New York City for two days to wrap up filming.Filming locations in New York City included Park Avenue and Central Park.

Music

In November 2011, Marvel announced that Alan Silvestri, who scored Captain America: The First Avenger, would write and compose the score for The Avengers. Silvestri stated, "This is actually a very unique experience [for me]. I’ve worked on films where there have been a number of stars and certainly worked on films where there have been characters of equal weight in terms of their level of importance and profile in the film, but this one is somewhat extreme in that regard because each of these characters has their own world and it’s a very different situation. It’s very challenging to look for a way to give everyone the weight and consideration they need, but at the same time the film is really about the coming together of these characters, which implies that there is this entity called the Avengers which really has to be representative of all of them together." Silvestri developed the score with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London, England.Whedon described the score as "old school", saying "the score is very old-fashioned, which is why [Silvestri] was letter perfect for this movie because he can give you the heightened emotion, the [Hans Zimmer] school of 'I’m just feeling a lot right now!' but he can also be extraordinarily cue and character specific, which I love."

In March 2012, American alternative rock band Soundgarden announced through their official Facebook page that they have written a song to be included on the film's soundtrack, entitled "Live to Rise".[98] Additionally, Indian rock band Agnee released a music video for their single "Hello Andhero", which will serve as the theme song for the Indian release of the film.The following day, Marvel released the details for the soundtrack, which is set to be released May 1, 2012, the same day as the score.

Release

In February 2012, Disney said the film would be titled Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom, to avoid confusion with the British TV series of the same name, as well as its 1998 film adaptation.The world premiere for The Avengers is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California.The film is scheduled to close the 11th Annual Tribeca Film Festival with a screening on April 28, 2012.

Tie-in comic

In December 2011, Marvel announced that a four-issue comic book prelude to the film, written by Christopher Yost and Eric Pearson with art by Luke Ross and Daniel HDR, will be released in March 2012.In February 2012, Marvel announced the release of a second limited series comic book tie-in entitled "Black Widow Strikes" written by Fred Van Lente, who wrote "Captain America: First Vengeance", which served as a prequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. The story is set between Iron Man 2 and The Avengers and follows Black Widow as she runs down some loose ends from Iron Man 2, namely some bootleg Stark technology that Justin Hammer made.

Video game

A video game based on the film was planned for concurrent release. The game was to be a first-person shooter/brawler for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows and published by THQ, with THQ Studio Australia developing of the console versions and Blue Tongue Entertainment the PC version. After THQ closed both studios, the game was cancelled.Intellectual property rights for an Avengers video game reverted to Marvel, which said it was exploring potential publishing and licensing opportunities.

Sequel

In October 2011, producer Kevin Feige hinted at a sequel to The Avengers during the New York Comic Con stating, "Iron Man 3 will be the first of what we sort of refer to as phase two of this saga that will culminate, God willing, in Avengers 2". In March 2012, Joss Whedon stated that he would want a sequel to be "...smaller. More personal. More painful. By being the next thing that should happen to these characters, and not just a rehash of what seemed to work the first time. By having a theme that is completely fresh and organic to itself."

Trailer

Posted in: Movies