Eleven days into shooting the film, the entire team were finally together on set for the first time.
The Avengers had finally assembled. The scene features Nick Fury rounding up the heroes and explaining why exactly they need to work together.
"It really was a special moment seeing everyone together for the first time," explains
Kevin Feige.
"’The Avengers’ is a cornerstone of Marvel Comics and to bring it to the big screen is quite an accomplishment and it was something the entire cast recognized in the moment and they were all very excited. I know I was giddy just watching at the monitor."
"There weren’t many days when we had the entire cast on the set at the same time," adds executive producer
Patricia Whitcher.
"But the day everyone remembers was the first day they were all together on the Helicarrier. The energy in the room was simply electric. After the first scene, everybody on set just stopped and looked at each other and spontaneously started clapping. It was like, ‘Wow, this is kind of a remarkable thing.’ On days like that you really feel privileged to do what you do."
Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/The Hulk) was equally awed as he looked around at the rest of the cast in their costumes and found it easy to relate to his character feeling a little out of place being surrounded by the heroes.
"I am in a scruffy linen suit that was bought directly out of a thrift store and I am looking around the room at these impeccable human specimens feeling like a tool and thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’" laughs the actor.
"I felt a strange jealousy as I was looking at their cool outfits and strapping bodies. I was purposely told not to put on muscle for the role, so I was the pipsqueak. I longed to have my cool outfit and be part of the team and that is exactly how Bruce Banner is feeling as well. I was nervous because I had a lot of long scientific dialogue. I thought I knew the scene pretty well, but standing next to Sam Jackson and all of the other actors in the cast for the first time, I just kind of fell apart for the first few takes. Thank goodness Sam made a good joke about it, which put me at ease and I was fine after that."
Chris Evans also found it a surreal experience, but for a completely different reason.
"I’ve stepped outside of myself more with this character than I ever have before. When we shot our first scene together, I kept thinking about how incredible this experience was. I’ve seen all of the Marvel movies and now I’m just so excited to be a part of Marvel history. I’m so grateful to come on set and join an ensemble like Robert Downey Jr., Samuel Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Scarlett Johansson—it’s been an amazing ride."
During the filming of those first scenes, it quickly became clear to
Joss Whedon that the cast had both great chemistry. He said this about the collaborative atmosphere on set.
"The entire cast is very conscious of what everybody else is doing and I love that because as long as I can give them a place where they feel safe to create and try something different, it opens the door to finding unexpected moments that are pure gold." However, the super heroes don't find it quite as easy to get along explains Chris Hemsworth.
"As powerful and unique as they are, they’re all very different. They’re all leaders in their own right when they’re thrown together. That’s the challenge and the conflict. Who is going to steer this ship, who is in control and when do we put our egos aside? All of us spend time feeling each other out and trying to work out how we fit into the puzzle."
•Kevin Feige, Joss Whedon and Robert Downey Jr. Discuss MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS
•The Cast Of MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS Discuss Their Characters In The Superhero Ensemble
•Kevin Feige Describes THE AVENGERS As Being From Nick Fury's Point Of View
•Joss Whedon, Cobie Smulders And More Comment On Maria Hill's Place In THE AVENGERS
•Robert Downey Jr.: "If Steve Rogers And Tony Stark’s Relationship Doesn't Work, Then THE AVENGERS Doesn’t Work"
•Joss Whedon Describes Agent Coulson's "Man Crush" On Captain America In THE AVENGERS
•Robert Downey Jr. And Gwyneth Paltrow On The Return Of Pepper Potts In THE AVENGERS
•Joss Whedon And Chris Evans Discuss The First Day Of Shooting THE AVENGERS
•Joss Whedon And Jeremy Latcham On The Challenges Of Writing THE AVENGERS
•Stellan Skarsgård And Patricia Whitcher On Bringing Back Erik Selvig For THE AVENGERS
•Tom Hiddleston Talks Stunt Training And Loki's Battle With Thor On Stark Tower
•Joss Whedon, Scarlett Johansson And Samuel L. Jackson Talk Black Widow
•Chris Hemsworth And Kevin Feige Talk THE AVENGERS; Reveal How Thor Returns To Earth
•Kevin Feige And Louis D'Esposito On S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Role In THE AVENGERS
STARRING:
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye
Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Ramanoff/Black Widow
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson
Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
RELEASE DATE: April 26th, 2012. (UK) May 4th, 2012. (US)