The Avengers
Marvel's The Avengers (classified as Marvel Avengers Assemble in the UK and Ireland), or simply The Avengers, is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Written and directed by Joss Whedon, the film features Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner (The Avengers), Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard. and Samuel L. Jackson. In the film, Nick Fury and spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. Recruit Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner and Thor to form a team to stop Thor's brother Loki from conquering Earth.
Film development began in April 2005 when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch. Following Iron Man's success in May 2008, Marvel announced that the Avengers would hit theaters in July 2011, starring Tony Stark (Downy, Steve Rogers (Evans), Bruce Banner (Ruffalo), and Thor (Hemsworth) from the previous Marvel movies. After Johansson was signed for the role of Natasha Romanov in March 2009, the film's release was delayed to 2012. Whedon joined in April 2010 to rewrite Zack Penn's original script. Production began in Albuquerque, New Mexico in April 2011 and moved to Cleveland, Ohio in August and New York in September. There are over 2,200 visual effects scenes in this film. Avengers
premiered in Los Angeles on April 11, 2012, and was released in the United States on May 4 as the final film in the first phase of the MCU. The film received acclaim for Whedon's director and screenplay, visual effects, action sequences, acting and music, and was nominated for numerous awards and nominations, including an Academy Award and BAFTA nomination for visual effects. The film grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide, set numerous box office records, became the third-highest-grossing film at its time of release and the highest-grossing film of 2012, and the first Marvel film to cross $1 billion ticket sales.
In 2017, The Avengers was named one of the 100 Greatest Movies by Empire magazine. Three sequels have been released: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
- Gross: $1.519 billion
