The Avengers

the avengers (2012) is the culmination of a long term plan by marvel to bring the avengers to the big screen. here are some facts and figures about the film:

1. first “big screen” adaptation of marvel’s the avengers.

2. first marvel film to make 1 billion dollars.

3. the original avengers were created by stan lee and jack kirby and consisted of iron man, thor, hulk, ant-man, and wasp.

4. first “big screen” fight involving thor and iron man.

5. first “big screen” fight involving black widow and hawkeye.

6. first “big screen” appearance of thanos. he appears in a brief scene during the end credits of the film.

7. first film by marvel studios to feature 2 post-credits scenes.the first scene features thanos and the other; the second scene features the avengers eating at a restaurant in silence. this second post-credits scene appears to have been included in the united states release of the film, and not the uk.

8. thor v hulk: the fight involving thor and the hulk in the avengers is not the first time it’s happened. the first “live action” fight happened in the 1988 tv movie, the incredible hulk returns.

9. the avengers (2012) is not the first superhero crossover. one of the contenders for that honour probably goes to the 1960s tv series batman, whereby the green hornet (van williams) and kato (bruce lee) visit gotham city to track down a criminal, and consequently run into batman and robin.

10. the avengers (2012) is, to date, the highest grossing comic book film.
the avengers:
steve rogers: what’s the matter, scared of a little lightning?
loki: i’m not overly fond of what follows…
(thor appears)

thor: do not touch me again!
iron man: then don’t take my stuff.
thor: you have no idea what you’re dealing with.
iron man: ah, shakespeare in the park? doth mother know you weareth her drapes?
thor: this is beyond you, metal man! loki will face asgardian justice!
iron man: he gives up the cube, he’s all yours. until then, stay out of the way…tourist!
(thor, angered by the retort, throws his hammer mjolnir forcefully at iron man, sending iron man flying back a distance through the forest)

steve rogers: doctor banner, now might be a really good time for you to get angry.
bruce banner: that’s my secret, cap: i’m always angry.
(banner hulks out and punches the leviathan)

iron man: what else you got?
clint barton: well, thor’s taking on a squadron on sixth.
iron man: and he didn’t invite me…

(iron man grabs a nuclear missile and routes it to the portal)
jarvis: stark, you know that’s a one-way trip?
iron man: save the rest for the return, jay.

(after end credits scene #1)
the other: humans… they are not the cowering wretches we were promised. they stand. they are unruly, and therefore cannot be ruled. to challenge them is to court death.
(thanos rises and smiles)

(after end credits scene #2)
the avengers eat in silence at a shawarma restaurant.