They are: Robert Downey Jr. — Tony Stark; Clark Gregg — Agent Coulson; Scarlett Johansson — Black Widow; Chris Hemsworth — Thor; Chris Evans — Captain America; Samuel L. Jackson — Nick Fury; Jeremy Renner — Hawkeye; Mark Ruffalo — Hulk. Director Joss Whedon and Marvel head Kevin Feige are up there, too.
Marvel killed it at Comic Con this year. They literally slaughtered the competition. After unveiling new footage of Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor (in 3D), the official ensemble cast of The Avengers was announced. The biggest surprises? Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) is set in stone as Hawkeye and Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island, The Kids Are Alright) replaces Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/Hulk. Marvel head Kevin Feige on the Ruffalo decision: “Ruffalo is Joss Whedon’s Banner. He is the Banner that is going to be in that [Bill] Bixby type, wants to help people and is somewhat ashamed of what he goes through but isn’t as strong and angry in his Banner form as he is in his Hulk form, which is something we haven’t really seen in the past films. .. Something like how he was portrayed in the Ultimates, a guy who just wants to be left alone and wear his glasses and do his science.” Feige also shares that he “hope[s] to develop a standalone franchise” for Renner’s Hawkeye post-Avengers.
During the panel Downey Jr. worked the crowd, naturally. He invoked the success of Inception, saying it was “just about the most ambitious movie I’ve ever seen.” He continued, “And then thought wait a goddamn second. Marvel Studios is going to take all of their top super heros and they’re gonna put them all together in The Avengers? That’s the most ambitious movie I’ve ever seen.” He concluded, “If we’re going to make a movie this ambitious [then] the most important thing is that we had to find a person to helm it to get your [the fans’] approval”. Enter Joss Whedon: “I have had a dream all my life and it was not this good…This cast is more than I could have ever of dreamed of working with. And I am going to blow it…I need your love, I need your support.” Joss, you got it.
The Avengers is slated for a May 4, 2011 release. Whet your appetite with Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger on May 6, 2011 and July 22, 2011 respectively. Bonus! Look in the gallery below for newly released mini-one-sheets featuring Thor and Cap concept art. Peek after the break to watch your 2011 Avengers assemble at Comic Con in video form.
[Via IGN, here, here, here & here; Marvel]
