10 Things You Never Knew About The Avengers (2012)
Behind-the-scenes gambles, rewrites, and casting shake-ups nearly changed Marvel's first team-up forever.
Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston, Cobie Smulders and Clark Gregg promoting The Avengers at the 2011 New York Comic Con. — Marnie Joyce, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Where to watch The Avengers ↓Whedon Torched the First Draft
Joss Whedon told Marvel that Zak Penn's initial script was unsalvageable and demanded a complete rewrite from scratch instead of tinkering with what was there.
The Wasp Almost Joined the Party
Whedon even drafted an alternate script built around The Wasp as a major player and eyed Zooey Deschanel for the role, just in case Scarlett Johansson fell through.
The Avengers being filmed in front of 101 Park Ave. — Eric Schmalzbauer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
They Bet Big Before Thor Even Hit Theaters
Marvel started filming The Avengers before Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger had been released, gambling that audience love for those heroes would actually materialize.
Cleveland's East 9th Street during the filming of The Avengers — Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Thor Was Almost Sidelined
Zak Penn originally wanted to shrink Thor's part because he doubted the god could work on screen, but he changed his mind once Chris Hemsworth was cast.
Fans at the world premiere of The Avengers, outside the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. — Scott Sha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Loki Needed Backup
Worried Tom Hiddleston's Loki alone wouldn't be enough to threaten Earth's mightiest heroes, Whedon considered adding Ezekiel Stane, son of Obadiah Stane, as a second villain.
Samuel L. Jackson Signed for the Long Haul
Samuel L. Jackson locked in a nine-picture deal with Marvel Entertainment in February 2009, which covered Nick Fury in The Avengers and beyond.
Solo First, Team Up Later
Marvel's strategy was to launch solo films for each hero first to establish their identities before uniting them in a crossover.
Credit Fight in the Writers Room
Joss Whedon and Zak Penn share final screenplay credit, though Whedon pushed hard for sole credit and was frustrated about having to share it.
Banner Gets a New Face
Mark Ruffalo stepped in as Bruce Banner after Marvel decided not to bring Edward Norton back for The Avengers.
Release Date Got a Scarlett Push
Marvel first planned a July 2011 release but pushed it to May 4, 2012, nearly a year later, after Scarlett Johansson's casting was confirmed.