Zak Penn Discusses His Work On MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS

Zak Penn Discusses His Work On MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS

As most know, Zak Penn wrote the first draft of The Avengers script almost six years ago. In a recent interview Penn talked about how the movie changed from when he started as well as whether the Chitauri were always the alien race in the film.

By WaylonJones - Jun 19, 2012 08:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Avengers
Source: Crave Online


The dust is finally settling on the box office juggernaut that is known as The Avengers. Marvel is now taking their next steps to complete their own version of "Phase Two". That starts with the production of Iron Man 3 which began shooting last month. Zak Penn was hired by Marvel to write The Avengers even before the first Iron Man movie was out. Penn wrote his treatment for the film but it was ultimately turned over to director Joss Whedon who put his own stamp on Earths Mightiest Heroes. While talking with Crave Online Penn talked a little bit about how different the film turned out from when he started working on it to the finished product. "I think it turned out better. I think he did a fantastic job. I mean, look, I think that it’s very similar in terms of what we imagined in our head, what the movie would be like and what characters would be in it. Kevin Feige was working on it all the way through so he’s the person to ask the most," said Penn. He went on to say that the movie is exactly what they imagined in their head, and that it's a big relief that the film is as successful as it has been.

One of the biggest question marks when the first trailer for The Avengers was released was who exactly was Loki's alien army. The answer came from Whedon about a month before the films release in the form of the Chitauri. According to Penn a there was a lot of discussion on which aliens they could and could not use."Actually, there was a lot of debate back and forth because there were rights issues," he explained. "And whether or not it could be the Skrulls or whether it could be the Chitauri, and even in the beginning whether it would be Loki or not. It all got kicked around." The decision ultimately came down to Whedon with Penn saying "It's his script, he rewrote it." Agent Coulson's death, which wound up being a major story line for the movie, wasn't in Penn's story either. He said he started working on the script before Agent Coulson was even introduced, and that he wasn't required by Marvel to include it.

To check out the rest of the interview where Penn talks about not being involved with Marvel any more as well as writing the sequel to Jaden Smith's The Karate Kid head on over to Crave. You can pick up your copy of The Avenger when it hits stores later this fall in September.

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superotherside
superotherside - 6/19/2012, 8:29 AM
I kind of liked the Chitauri being used for a few reasons:

1. They don't have a particular story with them. While the Skrulls would have been great, I don't think it would have left the movie to concentrate on Loki vs the Avengers. Which when you come right down to it, that's what it was. It's about these characters coming together to face Loki. He is the villain and if it was the Skrulls I think it would have taken away from the character development. The Chitauri made some excellent cannon fodder and showed how powerful the Avengers really are. Some complain about the Avengers not having a big enough threat but this was their introduction, the Avengers was to show how powerful these characters are, not that they can get kicked around easily. Besides didn't a few times they almost not make it?

2. Perfect way to pay tribute to both the Avengers and the Ultimates. The original villain for the classic Avengers series was Loki, in Ultimates it was the Chitauri. This way it paid tribute to both stories.

3. Lets face it, people may say that they where "Transformer" knock offs but I think the ships, the race etc. looked really cool to me. Plus the action wasn't stupid like Transformers, the characters stories were still focused upon, no stupid humor, great cinimaitc fight sequences instead of stupid random bayplosions for thirty minutes to an hour. Yeah you get the idea.

Anyway Joss did an amazing job! Bring on the sequel!
superotherside
superotherside - 6/19/2012, 8:31 AM
By the way Ultimates haters. I'm one of you. I don't like the Ultimates in any way but I don't mind the Chitauri being used in the film. Heh. They don't even have any thing to do with the Ultimate Chitauri, I don't really see much if any similarity to them except their name.
MarkJulian
MarkJulian - 6/19/2012, 8:50 AM
What a gnarly teaser pic lol.
ManThing
ManThing - 6/19/2012, 9:01 AM
well... I guess I don't hate the guy as much as i used to.

At least he no longer has his [frick]ing meathooks into Marvel movies.

That's great news.

JohnnyKrypton
JohnnyKrypton - 6/19/2012, 9:13 AM
Zak Penn had next-to-nothing to do with the final film

"There was a script. There just wasn't a script I was going to film a word of," -Joss Whedon
CharlesLord
CharlesLord - 6/19/2012, 9:15 AM
I agree that it succeeded because it was a comic book movie at its core. They didnt ground the set up movies too heavily and they presented it similarly to wat would happen in real life if we came across these people, we wouldnt believe some blonde guy walking around saying he was the Norse God of Thunder. It was very tongue in cheek but they took themselves serious when the moment came for it.

Not a knock on TDK or Nolan, but that is why Avengers is #1 on my list of top CBMs. Its a comic book movie at heart.
95
95 - 6/19/2012, 9:28 AM
Well, there's really nothing to say. It worked out for us fans.
jaewest215
jaewest215 - 6/19/2012, 9:46 AM
Cap looked like a f- a- and had me laughing throughout the whole movie wit RED swashbuckling boots! LMAO!!!! BUT he was my favorite character! He was gettin it in!!! :)
JohnnyKrypton
JohnnyKrypton - 6/19/2012, 10:29 AM
I ddin't have a huge problem with Cap but he'd look a lot better if the suit was pants/top- as it is, everytime he turned around it looked like a Jack LaLanne pant suit...
ManThing
ManThing - 6/19/2012, 10:42 AM
I love Cap's costume in Avengers.

It was perfect. That is exactly what it should be like
Talontd
Talontd - 6/19/2012, 11:38 AM
@yosarrian




That's why. Our generation may have been against it, but the kids nowadays loved that sh!t. I personally thought it was ok, not great, and certainly not as special as the original....but hopefully they can squeeze some more action into the sequel, and JACKIE CHAN gets to let loose.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 6/19/2012, 12:06 PM
@Nomis

The Avengers is barely accurate to the comics at all. The plot is nowhere to be found as it is in the comics...whereas in other CBMs, they are.

So, I, would call Nolans Bat Trilogy way more accurate to the comics
SoulReaver
SoulReaver - 6/19/2012, 12:20 PM
@Talontd: Jackie Chan retired from doing action movies. He said that he wants to show a broader range as an actor. So the chance of him doing fight scenes for the sequel are slim-to-none.
Talontd
Talontd - 6/19/2012, 12:25 PM
^^^^^Sonofab!tch!!!!
Talontd
Talontd - 6/19/2012, 12:27 PM
That really sux, first JET LI, now JACKIE CHAN??? I guess the last man standing is DONNIE YEN...
dirtygymsocks
dirtygymsocks - 6/19/2012, 12:42 PM
I couldnt agree more with superotherside and Nomis' comments.
SageMode
SageMode - 6/19/2012, 12:45 PM
THEWONDERER-"@Nomis

The Avengers is barely accurate to the comics at all. The plot is nowhere to be found as it is in the comics...whereas in other CBMs, they are.

So, I, would call Nolans Bat Trilogy way more accurate to the comics"


Probably the most inaccurate statement ive seen on here. Try reading an Avengers comic book for once.
lnTylerWeTrust
lnTylerWeTrust - 6/19/2012, 12:49 PM
I think the Chitari or the skrulls would have both been great either way. Glad the movie came out to be one of the greatest CBM of our time. Definitional, bring on Phase 2!
averageBEAR
averageBEAR - 6/19/2012, 12:59 PM
@ChavoDel8 if the skrulls were ever in the movie the story would've had to change and if loki was the ruler of the skrulls the movie probably would not be that great
IronHood
IronHood - 6/19/2012, 1:04 PM
Stop defending the shitty aliens, there NOT the chitauri! They were shit.
ManThing
ManThing - 6/19/2012, 1:19 PM
Zack Peen
breakUbatman
breakUbatman - 6/19/2012, 1:21 PM
Avengers was good stuff, I personally have certain issues with it (due in part to exceedingly high expectations).

For example in the gif posted by ELgUaSoN you can clearly see the Chitauri blowing the place to smithereens

but then....



I've also got some Thor and Loki problems but all in all it's a great romp, not the be all and all of comicbookmovies but definitely on of the finest entries in the genre.

@thewonderer....SMH
Durf
Durf - 6/19/2012, 1:57 PM
Loved the movie and totally agree with @superotherside and @Nomis' comments.
kingshnake
kingshnake - 6/19/2012, 2:24 PM
Loved the movie but lets get real TDKR is the best CBM of all time. Followed by TDK and followed by BB. Then avengers.
KidfromBrooklyn
KidfromBrooklyn - 6/19/2012, 3:03 PM
@ kingshnake

I thought TDKR comes out next month?
Talontd
Talontd - 6/19/2012, 3:35 PM
^^^^^That's how much kool-aid he's drunk, proclaiming it the best before the movie is even released, smh.
CoolantTech
CoolantTech - 6/19/2012, 5:34 PM
Absolutely loved Avengers, wasn't too fond of that Phantom Menace copout at the end though
Deathlok
Deathlok - 6/19/2012, 5:58 PM
I don't know how this bozo keeps getting hired to write movies. Everything he wrote thus far has sucked, and we only have Ed Norton and Joss Whedon to thank for fixing his screw-ups.
SageMode
SageMode - 6/19/2012, 7:16 PM
To all those complaining about the Chitauri getting token out when the mothership was destroyed.....

IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THE CHITAURI OUTFIT THEMSELVES WITH SOME KIND OF HEAD-FITTING DEVICE THAT GLOWS WHEN THEY PUT IT ON. IT PROBABLY HAD A CONNECTION TO THE SHIP
eleven59
eleven59 - 6/19/2012, 8:14 PM
Bingo sage.. In fact throughout the invasion you can see electricity flowing through several chitauri even the leviathans... They were clearly "jacked" in and basically electrocuted when the ship was destroyed.
Durf
Durf - 6/19/2012, 9:30 PM
@Sage and @eleven: good call guys! well done
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 6/20/2012, 6:41 AM
Nomis: You have captured exactly the main reason for the Avengers' success. Giant-Size Avengers indeed! A better description for this movie doesn't exist.

If only more directors of CBM's could grasp this basic concept. If you look back at the best CBM's, almost all of them have that in common- they're comic book movies and revel in that fact. They're like the comics brought to life. They're not some arrogant overrated director insisting on doing HIS version of a character, ignoring the key concepts that have made the character enduringly popular.

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