In a lengthy chat with the press, Marvel's The Avengers director Joss Whedon has shared his thoughts on each of the main cast members in the superhero ensemble as well as revealing what it was like to receive insight from both Iron Man and Thor directors Jon Favreau and Kenneth Branagh. Commenting on what makes each of the actors right for their respective roles, be sure to share your thoughts on what he has to say in the usual place.
"One of the big things that made me jump on board was the casting. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and Samuel L. Jackson were already on board. These are all actors who audiences got to see in movies of their own. In ‘Marvel’s The Avengers,’ they get to see them interact with each other. Everyone is so good that this film is going to be unbearable to edit.
"All of the actors came to me with an extraordinarily positive attitude. Not just about the project, but about each other. All of the conflict that we create amongst The Avengers is acting, because these guys are really rooting for each other and helping each other.
"It’s been interesting. Everybody’s very different. Robert has that anarchic, uncontrollable energy that is very magnetic and very Tony Stark. I wanted Mark Ruffalo to play Bruce Banner because he’s just an open book. He lets you into his heart and you understand everything he’s feeling. That’s who he is as a guy and how he performs. Chris Evans really locked in to the old-fashioned sort of aesthetic of a guy who’s from the ’40s. He has rectitude without being stiff.
"Sam Jackson is Sam Jackson. He does that look and he only needs one eye to pin you to the wall. At the same time, he’s extremely sensitive and textured and that’s what I wanted to get from Nick Fury. I didn’t want him to be all bluster. We’ve seen that and I think there’s more there.
"Chris Hemsworth is a god. This is a man who just makes other men stop going to the gym. It’s not fair. He’s very centered in the way he approaches a scene and the way he is in life. Jeremy Renner has been a wildcard and keeps to himself, but that makes sense because he’s playing a sniper. He shoots a bow and arrow and keeps his distance. He’s fully engaged, but he’s in his own place.
"Scarlett isn’t like her character at all, because she’s so funny and delightful. She’s always in a good mood and is just a riot. Black Widow has a darker incarnation in this film than she did in ‘Iron Man 2’ and Scarlett is very precise when she acts. We hint a little bit at her back-story and it isn’t pretty.
"I got almost every actor a day or two before we started shooting, but I’ve been able to spend time with them while I’m writing and I think they knew I was building from the ground up. I went to every single one of them and said, ‘Here are my ideas and this is how I think you’ll be playing it. Is there something in particular you want to avoid? Something you feel the character needs or wants?'
"They all had input to the degree that they wanted it and it’s been a collaboration from the beginning. I think that helped set the tone right away. I knew exactly what I wanted when I started, but the actors knew that if they told me what they wanted, we could usually do both."
As for working with Jon Favreau and Kenneth Branagh during the filming of
The Avengers, he finished by saying:
"Jon walked me through his experience on ‘Iron Man’ and shared with me how he worked with Scarlett [Johansson] and Robert [Downey Jr.]. Ken called me to talk about Chris Hemsworth before he cast him in ‘Thor.’ Then I called him when he was shooting the film to ask him about Chris and Tom [Hiddleston] and how they were working out. His insights were wonderful. Both of them have been very helpful and generous."
Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures Marvel’s The Avengers--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
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
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
RELEASE DATE: April 27, 2012. (UK) May 4th, 2012. (US)