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The Avengers (2012 film) | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Development And Preproduction —
The Avengers (2012 film).
~7 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
In April 2005, Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch to begin developing a film based on the Avengers. Avi Arad, the CEO of Marvel Studios, announced plans to create individual films for main characters before merging them in a crossover event. Screenwriter Zak Penn joined the project in June 2007 after writing The Incredible Hulk. Following Iron Man's success in May 2008, Marvel set a July 2011 release date for The Avengers. By March 2009, Scarlett Johansson replaced Emily Blunt as Natasha Romanoff, and her deal attached her to the film. In September 2009, Edward Norton expressed openness to returning as Bruce Banner, but negotiations with Marvel later fell through. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston joined the cast in June 2009. Joss Whedon was hired in April 2010 to rewrite Penn's script, stating that the original draft lacked character connections. Whedon created a five-page treatment titled "Avengers: Some Assembly Required" and began rewriting the screenplay from scratch. He referenced films like The Dirty Dozen (1967) and Dr. Strangelove (1964) to shape the ensemble dynamic. In October 2010, Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York, and Steiner Studios in Brooklyn were selected as filming locations. Walt Disney Studios agreed to pay Paramount at least $115 million for worldwide distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers. This arrangement allowed Paramount to retain an 8 percent box office fee and a production logo credit, though Disney owned and marketed the film entirely.
Principal Photography And Locations
Principal photography began on the 25th of April 2011, at Albuquerque Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico, under the working title Group Hug. Stuntman Jeremy Fitzgerald sustained a head injury during a stunt involving a 30-foot fall but recovered and resumed work. Second unit filming occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, about an hour outside Pittsburgh. A chase sequence was shot in Worthington, Pennsylvania, using Creekside Mushroom Farms' abandoned limestone tunnels located 300 feet below ground. Production moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in August 2011, where filming spanned four weeks. East 9th Street served as a stand-in for New York City's 42nd Street during climactic battle scenes. Army Reserve soldiers from the 391st Military Police Battalion participated in background action, enhancing realism. The NASA Plum Brook Station near Sandusky, Ohio, doubled as a S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility. Scenes were also captured at the Chevrolet powertrain plant in Parma, Ohio, where explosions were filmed for the battle sequence. Additional shooting took place at Public Square and the Detroit, Superior Bridge, with Public Square transformed into Stuttgart, Germany. Principal photography concluded in New York City over two days, including Park Avenue and Central Park. Visual effects supervisor Jake Morrison spent three days capturing aerial footage of Manhattan to use as background plates. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey chose a 1.85:1 aspect ratio to accommodate varying character heights. He used digital cameras like the Arri Alexa and Canon EOS 5D Mark II, alongside high-speed shots on 35 mm film via the Arriflex 435.
Visual Effects And Postproduction
The film features over 2,200 visual effects shots completed by 14 companies, including Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Weta Digital, and Scanline VFX. ILM served as the lead vendor, creating key effects such as the Helicarrier, the New York cityscape, and digital body doubles. Jeff White, ILM's visual effects supervisor, aimed for a realistic Hulk depiction compared to Ang Lee's 2003 version. Ruffalo performed in a motion-capture suit while four HD cameras recorded his facial and body movements. Tyson Bidner, the New York location manager, secured rights to nearly every building's likeness needed for ILM's recreation of ten city blocks. Weta Digital animated Iron Man during the forest duel, handling reflective metal surfaces with unique texture maps. Scanline VFX managed Helicarrier reveal shots from Black Widow and Captain America's arrival to its lift-off. Evil Eye Pictures integrated digital backgrounds into greenscreen footage inside the Helicarrier. Hydraulx covered the opening ten minutes, excluding Loki's initial space setup. Luma Pictures focused on the Helicarrier bridge shots and graphic monitor displays developed by Cantina Creative. Fuel VFX handled scenes around Tony Stark's penthouse at Stark Tower. Digital Domain crafted the asteroid environment where Loki encounters The Other. Method Design created the closing credits sequence, designing all environments and foreground objects in computer-generated imagery. In December 2011, Disney announced the film would undergo conversion to 3D. Whedon noted that the technology had advanced sufficiently to fit his aesthetic without being obnoxious. The film received an R rating initially due to Phil Coulson's death scene but was edited to secure a PG-13 rating.
Marketing Campaign And Tie-ins
The film was promoted at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con with a teaser trailer narrated by Samuel L Jackson. A leaked teaser trailer appeared online in July 2011, described as shaky and fuzzy. Walt Disney Pictures presented footage at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, in August 2011. Marvel Studios held a presentation at the New York Comic Con in October 2011, releasing the first full-length trailer exclusively on iTunes Movie Trailers. The trailer downloaded over 10 million times within its first 24 hours, breaking the website's record. A second trailer reached 13.7 million downloads in 24 hours. Disney paid approximately $4 million for a 30-second Super Bowl XLVI commercial. On the 1st of May 2012, executives rang the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange. Tie-in comics included an eight-issue prelude penned by Christopher Yost and Eric Pearson, released in March 2012. Black Widow Strikes followed, written by Fred Van Lente. Avengers Assemble debuted in March 2012, featuring the same lineup battling the Zodiac team. Promotional partners included Acura, which provided a one-off fictional sports car and S.H.I.E.L.D. SUVs based on the MDX. Other partners ranged from Dr Pepper to Harley-Davidson, securing an estimated $100 million in worldwide marketing support. Fast food outlets like Baskin-Robbins were notably absent due to Disney's policies. A mobile game published by Gameloft launched in May 2012, alongside Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth designed for Wii U and Xbox 360 Kinect.
Box Office Performance And Records
The Avengers grossed $623.4 million domestically and $895.5 million internationally, totaling $1.519 billion worldwide. It became the third-highest-grossing film of all time at its release and the highest-grossing superhero film. The film opened Friday, the 4th of May 2012, across 4,349 theaters, earning $80.8 million including an $18.7 million midnight run. Its opening weekend total reached $207,438,708, setting records for any film and superhero films specifically. The second-weekend gross hit $103.1 million, establishing a new record. By the 31st of May 2012, the film accounted for 52 percent of total box office earnings that month. It remained number one for three consecutive weekends domestically. Internationally, it opened on the 25th of April 2012, in ten countries, earning $17.1 million. By Sunday, April 29, it amassed $185.1 million from 39 countries. The film set opening-day records in New Zealand, Malaysia, and Iceland, while achieving single-day records in the Philippines. In the United Kingdom, it earned £2.5 million on opening day and £15.8 million over the weekend. Latin America saw the film earn $207 million, making it the highest-grossing film there. Leading international markets included China ($83 million), the United Kingdom ($80.5 million), Brazil ($63.9 million), Mexico ($61.7 million), and Australia ($54.5 million). The production cost was estimated at $220 million, exceeded just 12 days after release.
Critical Reception And Legacy
Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating based on reviews, with a critical consensus praising the script's emphasis on hero humanity and superpowered set pieces. Metacritic assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. CinemaScore gave audiences an A+ grade. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter called the result irresistibly tasty despite familiar elements. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone described it as the definitive blockbuster. The film received a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 85th Academy Awards. In 2017, Empire magazine featured The Avengers among the 100 greatest films of all time. Three sequels followed: Age of Ultron (2015), Infinity War (2018), and Endgame (2019). The film marked the conclusion of Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Home media releases included Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and digital download options starting the 25th of September 2012. A Lakota language dub became available on Disney+ in July 2024, spearheaded by Mark Ruffalo to support language revitalization efforts. Fans criticized certain UK home media versions for omitting Whedon's audio commentary and altering Coulson's death scene due to regional compliance issues.
When did principal photography begin for The Avengers 2012 film?
Principal photography began on the 25th of April 2011, at Albuquerque Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Production moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in August 2011 and concluded in New York City over two days.
Which companies provided visual effects for The Avengers 2012 film?
Over 2,200 visual effects shots were completed by 14 companies including Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, and Scanline VFX. Industrial Light & Magic served as the lead vendor creating key effects such as the Helicarrier and the New York cityscape.
How much money did The Avengers 2012 film earn worldwide?
The film grossed $623.4 million domestically and $895.5 million internationally totaling $1.519 billion worldwide. It became the third-highest-grossing film of all time at its release and the highest-grossing superhero film.
What was the opening weekend box office total for The Avengers 2012 film?
The second-weekend gross hit $103.1 million establishing a new record after the opening weekend total reached $207,438,708 on Friday the 4th of May 2012. The film opened across 4,349 theaters earning $80.8 million including an $18.7 million midnight run.
When was The Avengers 2012 film released in theaters?
The film opened Friday the 4th of May 2012 across 4,349 theaters in the United States. Internationally it opened on the 25th of April 2012 in ten countries earning $17.1 million.