Image Credit: Marvel Comics
The Avengers
officially begins filming today, according to a letter posted yesterday by writer-director Joss Whedon at Whedonesque. “Tomorrow we start shooting,” writes the geek auteur, before adding, “I THINK I’m legally permitted to say that.” Whedon doesn’t offer any hints about the plot of the movie, although he does say that they’ll be shooting “the pivotal death/betrayal/product placement/setting up the sequel/coming out scene,” which is probably a joke, but a boy can dream, can’t he? (Elsewhere in the letter, Whedon says that he’s pretty sure the movie is about the Justice League.) The Avengers, currently slated for a May 4 release next year, will unite the lead characters from Marvel’s Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor into one mega-adventure. (And remember: If everything goes according to plan, The Avengers will also inspire a few franchises of its own.)
Read more:
‘The Avengers’ begins: First set-photo from Day 1 of filming
What’s your favorite superhero movie ever?
Marvel Studios head talks various ‘Avengers’ spin-offs
Chris Evans on fighting to play Captain America’s wimpy kid alter-ego
I always preferred the Justice League to the Avengers; maybe it was because of the Justice League cartoon that Cartoon Network used to show… It was really great. But still excited for this movie.
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~~~~~~~~currently slated for a May 4 release next year, will unite the lead characters from Marvel’s Iron Man,
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Donald Trump the orange haired fat loud annnoying CLOWN. Vive la Quebec!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
light up everybody join us in this celebration!!!
You’re late…. 4/20 was last week
FIRST!
dang. : (
that’s what you get for being so friggin lame. the ‘first’ thing is a big old fail.
Bummer! I thought it was a Mrs. Peel type Avenger movie. Although the horrible one with Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes should have cured me of wanting to see another. I don’t like comic book character movies.
That was a completely different Avengers.
the only question i have is if you don’t like comic book movies, why are you posting a comment about a comic book movie???
Sad thing about that film is that you can see that the original script was obviously written by someone who knew and loved the show, and that the director seemed to know what he was doing – and that the studio hired a passing axe murderer to rewrite the script and edit the movie.
.
There’s enough Good Stuff that survived (like the Flashy Thing from “The House That Jack Built”, for instance) that makes it even sadder that it wound up so bad.
Unless this film will have John Steed and Emma Peel in it then the title “The Avengers” should be outlawed. I think I would rather watch Diana Rigg in a leather jumpsuit than anything this film would serve up.
If they added “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” to the title, would it make you happy?
Agreed. The Avengers is a British TV series that was both classy and fun (the ’98 movie was a sham). But give me Mrs. Peel in her colorful jumpsuits of the color episodes…much more 60s!
Marvel came out with The Avengers in 1963.
@Jomarch and @Barak Palin…
really? You read this article and had that reply? They tried and failed miserably already with that franchise. Go rent a DVD of THAT Avengers and understand that no one but you two give a rats azz about THOSE Avengers
Not to be confused with the same title starring Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes, The Avengers is based on the Marvel comic book series and I can’t wait for it when it release on May 4, 2012 and Joss Whedon gives all the credit but Buffy The Vampire Slayer is still the best Joss Whedon series out there.
ITA about Buffy!
Buffy was great, really great, but Joss’s best effort? Come on, how many Big Damn Heroes would disagree with that? Keep ‘er flyin’!
I think BTVS gets the nod over Firely because we got to see so much more Buffy. We saw the evolution of the characters in a way we will never get to with Firefly…unless of course my dreams come true and the show is produced once again.
I never really got into the Avengers. the X-men universe always seemed more real and cool to me. That said, I’m excited for this and hope for the best! (but what if Thor and Captain America underperform?)
Thor got really good international reviews so hopefully it plays well here.
Ironman was huge so I think it will balance out
You do realize that the Avengers “universe” and X-Men “universe” are one and the same don’t you? Both Marvel franchises and same continuity…just sayin
They share the same publishing universe, but aside from the odd character popping between the two, The Avengers and The X-Men are kept pretty much separate unless there’s a company-wide crossover going on. So, thinking of them as two different entities isn’t entirely wrong.
Later on, several of the X-Men join with The Avengers, along with the Fantastic Four.
@Rob If they go with the movie casting, isn’t Chris Evans going to have a heck of a time playing BOTH Captain America and Jonny Storm aka Human Torch?
@Kayjee… I thought that too, but now that Johnny Storm is dead and spiderman is the new 4th member, things can work out.
Soooo excited Joss is writing/directing this!!
The Avengers comic predates the british tv spy show.
Actually, it doesn’t. The TV show began in 1961 in the UK and the comic kicked off in 1963. It’s possible that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby weren’t aware of the British series because it didn’t start running in the U.S. until ’65/’66 when Emma Peel joined (she was actually the third female and FOURTH partner of Steed).
Well, The Avengers comic predates “The Avengers” TV series being adapted to a comic. When Gold Key tried to make a comic of the TV series, they had to change the title to “John Steed and Emma Peel”. Now, there’s a catchy comic book title.
Actually, that was a reprint of a British comic that was, in England, titled “The Avengers”.
Another point on the whole Avengers/Avengers thing: the original TV show ran for 8 years, and the ’70s follow up ran for 2. Most people who think they know they show only really know about Emma Peel, and not the other half-dozen partners. Outside of the series and the movie, that’s pretty much it.
With the comic Avengers, it’s been in some kind of continuous publication since 1963, has been made into animated series in the ’90s and currently, spun off at least three direct to dvd animated features, and been home to Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine and fifty more or so significant Marvel heroes, all with their own franchises, movies, cartoons, toys and comics.
The UK show is much-loved, but there is actually a shrinking cultural awareness of it. If you want to talk about a UK show that continues to have impact in the US, talk Dr. Who, with its 47 seasons.
That’s Doctor Who. No abbreviations, please.
i don’t care, i’ll ne glad when TDKR will start shooting
I’m interested if a film sequel about the super hero civil war (masked vs unmasked-identities known) is being planned down the road.
God, i hope not.
IT WONT ENLESS ALL STUDIOES MADE A DEAL SINCE SO MANY CHARACTERS ARE IN DIFFERENT PLACES IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN BUT IF USE FANS KEEP ASKING IT MAY HAPPEN WHO KNOWS
Bah. No one wants to see an Avengers movie. Everyone wants to see a “Professionals” movie. NO COMPROMISE!!
Was always a Hank Pym fan … Ant Man/Giant Man/Yellowjacket … actually loved this book the most, Captain America a close second.
And, yes, those love life bloggers are the worst … can’t a life!!!
btw: can ssomeone tell me what happened to Hank Pym in the comics? Did he go mad for a while? Also, loved that Yellowjacket outfit too!
In the early ’80s, Hank had crisis of confidence that led to him going off the deep end for a while. He slapped Janet once, effectively ending their marriage, and did jail time after setting up an attack on the Avengers where he could play the hero. During the trial, the Masters of Evil broke him out to have him make a device for Egghead, but Hank turned the tables on them and saved the day. He was a member of the West Coast Avengers for years just as Hank Pym, but returned to heroic identities in the ’90s. He reconciled with Jan for a while, but they were split before her death in Secret Invasion. These days, as Giant-Man again, he runs the Avengers Academy (which has its own book), helping train the next generation of at-risk super-powered kids, making sure they turn out as heroes instead of villains.
Loved Ant Man/Giant Man. Huge comic book collector as a young boy in the early ’70s. Avengers was top on my list, but so was The Invaders. Does anyone remember Namor, the Sub Mariner (Marvel’s moody answer to DC’s Aquaman)? Now that would make a great movie. Suggestions on whom should be cast in the role if/when it goes into production?