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St Nidan 's is built mainly from red gritstone rubble , dressed with sandstone , with buttresses at the corners ; the roof , which is made from slate , has stone copings with a cross at the east end . The church is built in a cross @-@ shape , in Early English style . There is a tower at the west end , which has battlements at the top along with a clock on the east and west sides , a belfry in the middle , and an entrance porch with an arched doorway at the bottom . There are two transepts leading from the nave , one to the north and one to the south , and a chancel at the east end . There are four " equal and bold " arches at the crossing where nave , transepts and chancel meet . The quadrant @-@ shaped organ room and vestry are built into the eastern external angles of the chancel and transepts , one on each side of the church .
The gallery at the west end of the nave , supported by octagonal columns , is reached from the entrance porch ; it has its pews set at an angle . A step leads up from the nave into the chancel , with a further two steps up from the chancel into the sanctuary . The floor of the chancel and the sanctuary are made from encaustic tiles . The internal walls have been plastered . The nave has two bays , each lit with a lancet window ; the transepts have groups of three large <unk> windows , as does the east end of the building . The chancel window depicts " Faith , Hope and Charity " , by Heaton , Butler and Bayne ( 1877 ) ; it is dedicated to the 5th Lord Boston who died in 1897 . One transept set of windows by Shrigley and Hunt depicts the Ascension , in memory of Anna Maria Evans ( died 1929 , wife of the vicar Richard Evans ) .
A sandstone chest with a glass front was moved here from the old church ; local tradition maintains that it holds the relics of St Nidan . It was discovered under the altar of the old church , and may date from the 16th century . The church also has pews made of pine , and a semi @-@ octagonal pulpit with decorated panels .
A survey by the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire in 1937 noted which of the church 's contents had come from the old church . The report listed the font , which has carved decoration and dates from the early 13th century ; two bells , one from the first half of the 14th century ( inscribed " + E : D : A : N " ) and another from the latter part of the 15th century ( inscribed " <unk> AP <unk> " ) ; and a carved oak chair from the time of Charles II .
In 1906 , a survey of church plate within the Bangor diocese recorded that St Nidan 's had a silver chalice and alms dish . These were donated probably in 1701 and remade in 1871 – 72 . It also had a silver paten and two <unk> with silver handles , all marked with the date 1871 – 72 . Records from the 19th century indicated that two tankards ( one silver , one pewter ) and a silver chalice had been lost .
The churchyard contains the grave of Sir Ellis Ellis @-@ Griffith , 1st Baronet , who was MP for Anglesey for 25 years . The grave , by the church 's north wall , has a bust of the politician wearing a wing collar . Other people buried here include the Presbyterian minister and theologian J. E. Hughes , who died in 1959 . There are four Commonwealth war graves , of a British Army soldier of World War I and three soldiers of World War II .
= = Assessment = =
The church has national recognition and statutory protection from alteration as it has been designated as a Grade II listed building – the lowest of the three grades of listing , designating " buildings of special interest , which warrant every effort being made to preserve them " . It was given this status on 30 January 1968 , and has been listed as " a small early 19th @-@ century church " . Cadw ( the Welsh Assembly Government body responsible for the built heritage of Wales and the inclusion of Welsh buildings on the statutory lists ) describes the church as " a distinctive example of pre @-@ archaeological gothic revival work . "
Writing in 1846 , the clergyman and antiquarian Harry Longueville Jones condemned the treatment of the old church , which he said was " one of the largest and most important in the island of Anglesey " , given its architecture , contents and traditions . He said that the new church had been built " in a debased barbarous style , showing neither architectural science nor taste , and without any example or analogy amongst the ecclesiastical edifices of any age , except the present . " He also described it in 1863 as " that hideous pile ... a painfully impressive example of architectural bad taste . " He said that the font was " one of the most interesting as a work of art ( not later than the thirteenth century ) extent in Anglesey " , and although he did not consider that its design or execution matched that of the font at St Ceinwen 's Church , Llangeinwen , it was " a highly valuable specimen of medieval taste . " The reliquary , he added , was " unique , so far as Wales is concerned " .
The 19th @-@ century writer Samuel Lewis said that the new church was " apparently of substantial construction , but is much inferior in style to the old building . " The historian and clergyman Edmund Tyrrell Green , writing a survey of Anglesey church architecture and contents in 1929 , described the church as " hideous " , although he said that the font was " remarkable " for its " very graceful patterns in relief showing influence of Greek classical design . "
A 2006 guide to the churches of Anglesey says that it is " of fairly unusual appearance , not at all typical of Anglesey churches in its stonework or the shape of the <unk> tower " . It comments that the organ and vestry were in " unusually @-@ shaped rooms " , and notes the " ornate stained glass " of the Ascension . A 2009 guide to the buildings of the region says that the church is " bolder " than John Welch 's similarly designed church at Llandudno . It describes the tower as " top @-@ heavy with battlements ... like a water tower " , and adds that the seating is " crowded " .
= The Avengers ( 2012 film ) =
Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.1 It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr . , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . In the film , Nick Fury , director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. , recruits Iron Man , Captain America , the Hulk , and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor 's brother Loki from subjugating Earth .
The film 's development began when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch in April 2005 . After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011 . With the signing of Johansson in March 2009 , the film was pushed back for a 2012 release . Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the original screenplay by Zak Penn . Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque , New Mexico , before moving to Cleveland , Ohio , in August and New York City in September . The film was converted to 3D in post @-@ production .
The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The film garnered numerous critical awards and nominations , including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for achievements in visual effects and has set or tied numerous box office records , including the biggest opening weekend in North America . The Avengers grossed over $ 1 @.@ 5 billion worldwide , and became the third @-@ highest @-@ grossing film during its theatrical run — as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales . The film was released on Blu @-@ ray Disc and DVD on September 25 , 2012 . A sequel , titled Avengers : Age of Ultron , was released on May 1 , 2015 , while a two @-@ part sequel , titled Avengers : Infinity War is currently in development , with Part 1 scheduled for a May 4 , 2018 release date , and Part 2 scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .
= = Plot = =
The Asgardian Loki encounters the Other , the leader of an extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri . In exchange for retrieving the Tesseract , 2 a powerful energy source of unknown potential , the Other promises Loki an army with which he can subjugate Earth . Nick Fury , director of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. , and his lieutenant Agent Maria Hill arrive at a remote research facility during an evacuation , where physicist Dr. Erik Selvig is leading a research team experimenting on the Tesseract . Agent Phil Coulson explains that the object has begun radiating an unusual form of energy . The Tesseract suddenly activates and opens a wormhole , allowing Loki to reach Earth . Loki takes the Tesseract and uses his scepter to enslave Selvig and a couple of agents , including Clint Barton , to aid him in his getaway .
In response to the attack , Fury reactivates the " Avengers Initiative " . Agent Natasha Romanoff is sent to Calcutta to recruit Dr. Bruce Banner to trace the Tesseract through its gamma radiation emissions . Coulson visits Tony Stark to have him review Selvig 's research , and Fury approaches Steve Rogers with an assignment to retrieve the Tesseract .
In Stuttgart , Barton steals iridium needed to stabilize the Tesseract 's power while Loki causes a distraction , leading to a confrontation with Rogers , Stark , and Romanoff that ends with Loki 's surrender . While Loki is being escorted to S.H.I.E.L.D. , Thor , his adoptive brother , arrives and frees him , hoping to convince him to abandon his plan and return to Asgard . After a confrontation with Stark and Rogers , Thor agrees to take Loki to S.H.I.E.L.D. ' s flying aircraft carrier , the Helicarrier . There Loki is imprisoned while Banner and Stark attempt to locate the Tesseract .
The Avengers become divided , both over how to approach Loki and the revelation that S.H.I.E.L.D. plans to harness the Tesseract to develop weapons as a deterrent against hostile extraterrestrials . As the group argues , Barton and Loki 's other possessed agents attack the Helicarrier , disabling its engines in flight and causing Banner to transform into the Hulk . Stark and Rogers try to restart the damaged engine , and Thor attempts to stop the Hulk 's rampage . Romanoff fights Barton , and knocks him unconscious , breaking Loki 's mind control . Loki escapes after killing Coulson and ejecting Thor from the airship , while the Hulk falls to the ground after attacking a S.H.I.E.L.D. fighter jet . Fury uses Coulson 's death to motivate the Avengers into working as a team . Stark and Rogers realize that for Loki , simply defeating them will not be enough ; he needs to overpower them publicly to validate himself as ruler of Earth . Loki uses the Tesseract , in conjunction with a device Selvig built , to open a wormhole above Stark Tower to the Chitauri fleet in space , launching his invasion .
The Avengers rally in defense of New York City , the wormhole 's location , but quickly realize they will be overwhelmed as wave after wave of Chitauri descend upon Earth . Banner arrives and transforms into the Hulk , and together he , Rogers , Stark , Thor , Barton , and Romanoff battle the Chitauri while evacuating civilians . The Hulk finds Loki and beats him into submission . Romanoff makes her way to the wormhole generator , where Selvig , freed of Loki 's control , reveals that Loki 's scepter can be used to shut down the generator . Meanwhile , Fury 's superiors attempt to end the invasion by launching a nuclear missile at Midtown Manhattan . Stark intercepts the missile and takes it through the wormhole toward the Chitauri fleet . The missile detonates , destroying the Chitauri mothership and disabling their forces on Earth . Stark 's suit runs out of power , and he falls back through the wormhole just as Romanoff closes it . Stark goes into freefall , but the Hulk saves him from crashing to the ground . In the aftermath , Thor returns Loki and the Tesseract to Asgard , while Fury expresses confidence that the Avengers will return if and when they are needed .
In a mid @-@ credits scene , the Other confers with his <unk> about the failed attack on Earth . In a post @-@ credits scene , the Avengers eat in silence at a shawarma restaurant .
= = Cast = =
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man :
A self @-@ described genius , billionaire , playboy , and philanthropist with an electromechanical suit of armor of his own invention . Downey was cast as part of his four @-@ picture deal with Marvel Studios , which includes Iron Man 2 and The Avengers . Downey said that he initially pushed Whedon to make Stark the lead : " Well , I said , ' I need to be in the opening sequence . I don 't know what you 're thinking , but Tony needs to drive this thing . ' He was like , ' Okay , let 's try that . ' We tried it and it didn 't work , because this is a different sort of thing , the story and the idea and the theme is the theme , and everybody is just an arm of the octopus . " About the character 's evolution from previous films , Downey said , " In Iron Man , which was an origin story , he was his own epiphany and redemption of sorts . Iron Man 2 is all about not being an island , dealing with legacy issues and making space for others . . . In The Avengers , he 's throwing it down with the others " .
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America :
A World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum and frozen in suspended animation before waking up in the modern world . Evans was cast as part of a deal to star in three Marvel films , in addition to The Avengers . Evans said that Steve Rogers is much darker in The Avengers : " It 's just about him trying to come to terms with the modern world . You 've got to imagine , it 's enough of a shock to accept the fact that you 're in a completely different time , but everybody you know is dead . Everybody you cared about . . . He was a soldier , obviously , everybody he went to battle with , all of his brothers in arms , they 're all dead . He 's just lonely . I think in the beginning it 's a fish @-@ out @-@ of @-@ water scene , and it 's tough . It 's a tough pill for him to swallow . Then comes trying to find a balance with the modern world . " Regarding the dynamic between Rogers and Tony Stark , Evans said , " I think there 's certainly a dichotomy — this kind of friction between myself and Tony Stark , they 're polar opposites . One guy is flash and spotlight and smooth , and the other guy is selfless and in the shadows and kind of quiet and they have to get along . They explore that , and it 's pretty fun . "
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk :
A genius scientist who , because of exposure to gamma radiation , transforms into a monster when enraged or agitated . Ruffalo , who was considered to play Banner in The Incredible Hulk before Edward Norton took the role , was cast after negotiations between Marvel and Norton broke down . About replacing Norton , Ruffalo said , " I 'm a friend of Ed 's , and yeah , that wasn 't a great way for all that to go down . But the way I see it is that Ed has bequeathed this part to me . I look at it as my generation 's Hamlet . " About the character , he said , " He 's a guy struggling with two sides of himself — the dark and the light — and everything he does in his life is filtered through issues of control . I grew up on the Bill Bixby TV series , which I thought was a really nuanced and real human way to look at the Hulk . I like that the part has those qualities " . Regarding the Hulk 's place on the team , Ruffalo said , " He 's like the teammate none of them are sure they want on their team . He 's a loose cannon . It 's like , ' Just throw a grenade in the middle of the group and let 's hope it turns out well ! " This is the first production in which the actor playing Banner also plays the Hulk . Ruffalo told New York magazine , " I 'm really excited . No one 's ever played the Hulk exactly ; they 've always done CGI . They 're going to do the Avatar stop @-@ action , stop @-@ motion capture . So I 'll actually play the Hulk . That 'll be fun " . The 3D model used to create the Hulk 's body was modeled after Long Island bodybuilder and male stripper Steve Romm , while the Hulk 's face was modeled after Ruffalo . To create the Hulk 's voice , Ruffalo 's voice was blended with those of Lou Ferrigno and others ; however , the Hulk 's only speaking line ( " <unk> god . " ) was provided solely by Ruffalo .
Chris Hemsworth as Thor :
The crown prince of Asgard , based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name . Hemsworth was cast as part of a multiple movie deal . He had previously worked with Joss Whedon on The Cabin in the Woods . Hemsworth said that he was able to maintain the strength he built up for Thor by increasing his food intake , consisting of chicken breasts , fish , steak , and eggs every day . When asked exactly how much , Hemsworth said , " My body weight in protein pretty much ! " He remarked that Thor 's motivation " is much more of a personal one , in the sense that it 's his brother that is stirring things up . Whereas everyone else , it 's some bad guy who they 've gotta take down . It 's a different approach for me , or for Thor . He 's constantly having to battle the greater good and what he should do vs. it 's his little brother there . . . I 've been frustrated with my brothers at times , or family , but I 'm the only one who is allowed to be angry at them . There 's a bit of that . "
Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow :
A highly trained spy working for S.H.I.E.L.D. About the character and her relationship with Hawkeye , Johansson said , " Our characters have a long history . They 've fought together for a long time in a lot of battles in many different countries . We 're the two members of this avenging group who are skilled warriors – we have no superpowers . Black Widow is definitely one of the team , though . She 's not in the cast simply to be a romantic foil or eye candy . She 's there to fight , so I never felt like I was the only girl . We all have our various skills and it feels equal " . Regarding her training , Johansson said , " Even though Iron Man 2 was ' one @-@ for @-@ them , ' I 'd never done anything like that before . I 'd never been physically driven in something , or a part of something so big . For The Avengers , I 've spent so many months training with our stunt team , and fighting all the other actors , it 's crazy . I do nothing but fight — all the time . "
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye :
A master archer working as an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. Renner said it was a very physical role and that he trained physically and practiced archery as much as possible in preparation . About the role , Renner said , " When I saw Iron Man , I thought that was a really kick @-@ ass approach to superheroes . Then they told me about this Hawkeye character , and I liked how he wasn 't really a superhero ; he 's just a guy with a high skill set . I could connect to that . " Regarding Hawkeye 's sniper mentality , Renner said , " It 's a lonely game . He 's an outcast . His only connection is to Scarlett 's character , Natasha . It 's like a left hand / right hand thing . They coexist , and you need them both , especially when it comes to a physical mission . " Renner said Hawkeye is not insecure about his humanity . " Quite the opposite , he 's the only one who can really take down the Hulk with his [ tranquilizer @-@ tipped ] arrows . He knows his limitations . But when it comes down to it , there has to be a sense of confidence in any superhero . "
Tom Hiddleston as Loki :
Thor 's adoptive brother and nemesis , based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name . About his character 's evolution from the film Thor , Hiddleston said , " I think the Loki we see in The Avengers is further advanced . You have to ask yourself the question : How pleasant an experience is it disappearing into a wormhole that has been created by some kind of super nuclear explosion of his own making ? So I think by the time Loki shows up in The Avengers , he 's seen a few things . " About Loki 's motivations , Hiddleston said , " At the beginning of The Avengers , he comes to Earth to subjugate it and his idea is to rule the human race as their king . And like all the delusional <unk> of human history , he thinks this is a great idea because if everyone is busy worshipping him , there will be no wars so he will create some kind of world peace by ruling them as a tyrant . But he is also kind of deluded in the fact that he thinks unlimited power will give him self @-@ respect , so I haven 't let go of the fact that he is still motivated by this terrible jealousy and kind of spiritual desolation . "
Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson :
An agent with S.H.I.E.L.D. who oversees many of the division 's field operations . Gregg was cast as part of a multi @-@ picture deal with Marvel . Gregg said his role was expanded in The Avengers : " [ What ] Agent Coulson had become in terms of the import of this particular story , and how important his job is in bringing the Avengers together , it kind of felt a little surreal , like somebody was playing a prank and that wasn 't the real script . But it wasn 't , it was the real thing , I got to show up and do that stuff , and it felt like such an amazing payoff to what the journey had been and the fact I had been doing it for five years . " Gregg said Whedon provided insight into his character 's backstory , particularly about Coulson being a fan of Captain America .
Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill :
A high @-@ ranking agent with S.H.I.E.L.D. who works closely with Jackson 's Nick Fury . Smulders , whom Joss Whedon once considered for his unproduced live @-@ action Wonder Woman film , was selected from a short list of potential actresses including Morena Baccarin . Smulders ' deal would integrate her into nine films . Regarding her preparation , Smulders said , " I hired this amazing black @-@ ops trainer to teach me how to hold a gun , take me to a shooting range , how to hit , how to hold myself , how to walk and basically how to look . I don 't do a ton of fighting in the movie , which is why I wasn 't offered a trainer , but I wanted to look like I had the ability to . " On relating to the character , Smulders said , " I can relate to her being a mom and being a businesswoman and trying to work full @-@ time and raising a family and having a career . We 're asked to do a lot of things these days . I feel she is just all about her job and keeping things going . "
Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig :
An astrophysicist and a friend of Thor under Loki 's control , who is studying the Tesseract 's power . Regarding Loki 's control over Selvig , Skarsgård said , " Well with the scene we did in Thor , it was like Loki , one way or the other , entered Erik 's mind . And in Avengers , you will see more clarity in how Loki is using Erik 's mind . " About his role , he said , " [ My character ] is of importance but the size of the role is not big . "
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury :
The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. , who was revealed in previous films to be coordinating the " Avengers Initiative " . Jackson was brought to the project with a deal containing an option to play the character in up to nine Marvel films . Jackson said he does more in The Avengers than in any of the previous films : " You don 't have to wait until the end of the movie to see me " . About the role , Jackson said , " It 's always good to play somebody [ who ] is a positive in society as opposed to somebody who is a negative . . . I tried to make him as honest to the story and as honest to what real @-@ life would seem . " Jackson compared the character to <unk> in Jackie Brown , calling him " a nice guy to hang out with . You just don 't want to cross him " .
Gwyneth Paltrow and Maximiliano Hernández reprise their roles from previous films as Pepper Potts and Jasper Sitwell , respectively . Paul Bettany returns to voice J.A.R.V.I.S. Frequent Whedon collaborator Alexis Denisof portrays the Other , and Damion Poitier portrays his master , Thanos ( unnamed in the film ) , in a post @-@ credit scene . Powers Boothe and Jenny Agutter appear as members of the World Security Council . Avengers co @-@ creator Stan Lee has a cameo appearance in a news report . Harry Dean Stanton cameos as a security guard , and Polish film director Jerzy Skolimowski appears as Georgi <unk> , Romanoff 's interrogator . Enver Gjokaj , who later went on to play Agent Daniel Sousa in the series Agent Carter , appears as a police officer .
= = Production = =
= = = Development = = =
Avi Arad , the CEO of Marvel Studios , first announced plans to develop the film in April 2005 , after Marvel Enterprises declared independence by allying with Merrill Lynch to produce a slate of films that would be distributed by Paramount Pictures . Marvel discussed their plans in a brief presentation to Wall Street analysts ; the studio 's intention was to release individual films for the main characters — to establish their identities and familiarize audiences with them — before merging the characters together in a crossover film . Screenwriter Zak Penn , who wrote The Incredible Hulk ( 2008 ) , was hired by Marvel Studios to write the film in June 2007 . In the wake of the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike , Marvel negotiated with the Writers Guild of America to ensure that it could create films based on its comic book counterparts , including Captain America , Ant @-@ Man and The Avengers . After the successful release of Iron Man ( 2008 ) in May , the company set a July 2011 release date for The Avengers . In September 2008 , Marvel Studios reached an agreement with Paramount — an extension of a previous partnership — which gave the company distribution rights for five future Marvel films .
Casting began in October 2008 with Downey 's signing . Though Don Cheadle was also reported to be reprising his Iron Man 2 role of War Machine for The Avengers , he later stated that he did not think the character would appear in the film . At the same time , two major prospects occurred for Marvel : Jon Favreau was brought in as an executive producer for the film , and the company signed a long @-@ term lease with Raleigh Studios to produce three other big @-@ budget films — Iron Man 2 , Thor ( 2011 ) , and Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) — at their Manhattan Beach , California complex . Lou Ferrigno , who voiced Hulk in The Incredible Hulk , stated that he would be involved in the film . In February 2009 , Samuel L. Jackson signed a nine @-@ picture deal with Marvel Entertainment to play Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 and other films . In September 2009 , Edward Norton , who played Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk stated that he was open to returning in the film . The next month , executive producer Jon Favreau stated that he would not direct the film , but would " definitely have input and a say " . Favreau also expressed concerns , stating , " It 's going to be hard , because I was so involved in creating the world of Iron Man , and Iron Man is very much a tech @-@ based hero , and then with Avengers you 're going to be introducing some supernatural aspects because of Thor ... [ Mixing ] the two of those works very well in the comic books , but it 's going to take a lot of thoughtfulness to make that all work and not blow the reality that we 've created " . In March 2009 , actress Scarlett Johansson replaced Emily Blunt in portraying Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2 , a deal that subsequently attached her to The Avengers . The female superhero Wasp was included in an earlier draft of the script written before Johansson 's involvement . The following day , Marvel announced that the film 's release date had been pushed back to May 4 , 2012 , almost a full year later . Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston joined the film 's cast in June , returning as Thor and Loki , respectively .
In July 2009 , Penn talked about the crossover process , stating , " My job is to kind of shuttle between the different movies and make sure that finally we 're mimicking that comic book structure where all of these movies are connected . . . There 's just a board that tracks ' Here 's where everything that happens in this movie overlaps with that movie ' . . . I 'm pushing them to do as many animatics as possible to animate the movie , to draw boards so that we 're all working off the same visual ideas . But the exigencies of production take first priority " .
In January 2010 , Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige was asked if it would be difficult to meld the fantasy of Thor with the high @-@ tech science fiction in Iron Man and The Avengers . " No , " he said , " because we 're doing the Jack Kirby / Stan Lee / Walt Simonson / J. Michael Straczynski Thor . We 're not doing the blow @-@ the @-@ dust @-@ off @-@ of @-@ the @-@ old @-@ Norse @-@ book @-@ in @-@ your @-@ library Thor . And in the Thor of the Marvel Universe , there 's a race called the Asgardians . And we 're linked through this Tree of Life that we 're unaware of . It 's real science , but we don 't know about it yet . The ' Thor ' movie is about teaching people that " . In March , it was reported that Penn had completed the first draft of the script , and that Marvel editor @-@ in @-@ chief Joe Quesada and Avengers comic @-@ book writer Brian Michael Bendis had received copies . Also in March , Chris Evans accepted an offer to play Captain America in three films including The Avengers .
= = = Pre @-@ production = = =
By April 2010 , Joss Whedon was close to completing a deal to direct the film and to rework Penn 's script , and was officially announced in July 2010 . When Whedon received Penn 's draft , he told Feige he felt the studio did not " have anything " and they should " pretend this draft never happened " . Whedon went on to write a five page treatment of his plan for the film , and created the tagline " Avengers : Some Assembly Required " , riffing on the " Avengers Assemble " slogan from the comic books . Marvel quickly began working to sign Whedon to write and direct , only stipulating that he include the Avengers against Loki , a battle among the heroes in the middle , a battle against the villains at the end , and he get the movie done for its May 2012 release . On the hiring , Arad stated : " My personal opinion is that Joss will do a fantastic job . He loves these characters and is a fantastic writer ... It 's part of his life so you know he is going to protect it ... I expect someone like him is going to make the script even better " . Feige added , " I 've known Joss for many years . We were looking for the right thing and he came in and met on it ... we want [ ed ] to find a director that ’ s on the verge of doing something great , as we think Joss is . " Whedon stated at the 2010 San Diego Comic @-@ Con International , that what drew him to the film is that he loves how " these people shouldn 't be in the same room let alone on the same team — and that is the definition of family " .
The casting process continued into much of 2010 , with the additions of Jeremy Renner , Mark Ruffalo , and Clark Gregg . Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton , who Marvel declined to have back . " We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers , " stated Feige . " Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors , but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members . The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble , as evidenced by Robert , Chris H , Chris E , Samuel , Scarlett , and all of our talented casts . We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements , and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks . " In response , Norton 's agent Brian <unk> decried Feige 's statement , calling it " purposefully misleading " and an " inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light " . In October 2014 , Norton claimed it was his own decision never to play Hulk again because he " wanted more diversity " with his career , and did not want to be associated with only one character .
In August 2010 , it was reported that Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios were planning to start shooting in February . Simultaneously , it was declared that the film would be shot in 3D , although Mark Ruffalo later tweeted that this was not the case . In October 2010 , Grumman Studios in Bethpage , New York and the Steiner Studios in Brooklyn , New York City , were announced as filming locations , with set construction slated to begin in November , but as Whedon later explained , " Originally we were supposed to be in Los Angeles , then for a short period we were supposed to be in New York , and then somehow we ended up in Albuquerque . " Also that October , Walt Disney Studios agreed to pay Paramount at least $ 115 million for the worldwide distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers . The deal also allowed Paramount to continue to collect the 8 percent box office fee it would have earned for distributing the film and a marquee credit — placement of the company 's production logo on marketing materials and the film 's opening titles . As a result , the onscreen production credit reads " Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures " though the film is solely owned , distributed , financed , and marketed by Disney . Paramount 's Epix retained pay TV rights .
In December 2010 , Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson and Marvel Studios Co @-@ president Louis D 'Esposito announced The Avengers would film primarily in Albuquerque , New Mexico , with principal photography scheduled for April through September 2011 . Parts of the film were also scheduled to be shot in Michigan , but a plan to film in Detroit ended after Governor Rick Snyder issued a budget proposal that would eliminate a film tax incentive . Three months later in March , Governor of Ohio John Kasich announced before Mayor Frank G. Jackson 's State of the City address that The Avengers would film in Cleveland .
Concept illustrator and designer of Iron Man 's Mark VII armor Phil Saunders stated that " Joss Whedon was looking for something that had the ' cool ' factor of the suitcase suit [ from Iron Man 2 ] , while still being a fully armored , heavy duty suit that could take on an army in the final battle . " To that end , Saunders borrowed ideas that had been proposed in Iron Man 2 as well as some ideas that had been abandoned in Iron Man and merged them together in a modular suit that has big ammo packets on the arms and a backpack . The Science & Entertainment Exchange also provided science consultation for the film .
Casting reached its final stages the following year . In February 2011 , Cobie Smulders acquired the role of Maria Hill , after participating in screen tests conducted by Marvel for the role of a key S.H.I.E.L.D. member , who Samuel L. Jackson described as Nick Fury 's sidekick . Over the successive months , the film 's cast expanded to include Stellan Skarsgård , Paul Bettany , and Gwyneth Paltrow . Paltrow was cast at Downey 's insistence ; prior to this , Whedon had not intended the film to include supporting characters from the heroes ' individual films , commenting , " You need to separate the characters from their support systems in order to create the isolation you need for a team . "
= = = Filming = = =
Principal photography began on April 25 , 2011 , in Albuquerque , New Mexico . In June 2011 , stuntman Jeremy Fitzgerald injured his head while attempting a stunt involving a 30 @-@ foot fall from a building after getting hit by an arrow . A Marvel spokesperson later told TMZ.com that despite the injury , Fitzgerald recovered and continued working on set . The following month , secondary filming took place about an hour outside Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania in the Butler area . A chase sequence was also shot in Worthington , Pennsylvania at Creekside Mushroom Farms , the world 's largest single @-@ site mushroom farm , which provided 150 miles of abandoned limestone tunnels 300 feet below the ground for filming .
Production relocated to Cleveland , Ohio in August 2011 , where filming transpired over a period of four weeks . The city 's East 9th Street was chosen as a double for New York City 's 42nd Street to be used in climactic battle scenes . Army Reserve soldiers assigned to the Columbus , Ohio @-@ based 391st Military Police Battalion provided background action during the battle scenes in Cleveland . Staff Sergeant Michael T. Landis stated the use of real soldiers made the scenes more realistic and helped portray the military in a more positive light , explaining that , " It 's easy for us to make on @-@ the @-@ spot corrections to tactics and uniforms , the director actually took our recommendation on one scene and let us all engage the enemy as opposed to only the gunners in the trucks engaging " . Filming also took place in the large vacuum chamber at the NASA Plum Brook Station near Sandusky , Ohio . The station 's Space Power Facility was used to portray a S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility . A series of explosions were filmed at the Chevrolet powertrain plant in Parma , Ohio as part of the battle sequence that began in Cleveland . Scenes from the film were also shot on Public Square and the Detroit – Superior Bridge . Public Square 's southwest quadrant was turned into Stuttgart , Germany , for filming .
Principal photography concluded in New York City , where filming occurred over two days . Filming locations in New York City included Park Avenue and Central Park . For scenes taking place in Manhattan , visual effects supervisor Jake Morrison shot aerial footage for over three days to use as background plates , elaborating that his main objective was to " get as much aerial work in as possible for the audience to see the big expanses , the wide establishing shots , while also making sure that the effects work doesn 't look too computer generated " . " We 're getting much better at making entirely computer @-@ generated environments , " Morrison explained , " but there is no substitute for starting with a real image and adding what you need . "
Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey stated that he composed the frame with a 1 @.@ 85 : 1 aspect ratio to cope with the varying heights of the main characters , explaining that " shooting 1 @.@ 85 : 1 is kind of unusual for an epic film like this , but we needed the height in the screen to be able to frame in all the characters like Hulk , Captain America and Black Widow , who is much smaller . We had to give them all precedence and width within the frame . Also , Joss [ Whedon ] knew the final battle sequence was going to be this extravaganza in Manhattan , so the height and vertical scale of the buildings was going to be really important . " The film was McGarvey 's first venture shooting with a digital camera , the Arri Alexa . The Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 7D digital SLR cameras were used for some shots , and high @-@ speed shots were captured on 35 mm film with the Arriflex 435 . About his visual approach , McGarvey remarked , " Joss and I were keen on having a very visceral and naturalistic quality to the image . We wanted this to feel immersive and did not want a ' comic book look ' that might distance an audience with the engagement of the film . We moved the camera a lot on Steadicam , cranes and on dollies to create kinetic images ; and we chose angles that were dramatic , like low angles for heroic imagery . "
= = = Post @-@ production = = =
In December 2011 , Disney announced that the film would be converted to 3D . Said Whedon , " I 'm not a big fan of extreme long lens , talky movies – I like to see the space I 'm in and relate to it , so 3D kinda fits my aesthetic anyway . And the technology has advanced so far in the past couple years . " Whedon also said that " there definitely are movies that shouldn 't be in 3D " but " The Avengers isn 't obnoxiously 3D . There 's no , ' Oh look , we 're going to spend 20 minutes going through this tunnel because it 's in 3D ! ' And no one is pointing at the screen the entire time . But it 's an action movie . Things tend to <unk> toward the screen anyway " . In January 2012 , it was reported that the film would be digitally remastered for IMAX 3D and open in IMAX theaters on May 4 , 2012 , the same day it opens in regular theaters . The film 's IMAX release follows Marvel 's IMAX releases of Iron Man 2 and Thor .
In a May 2012 interview , Whedon said that it was his decision to include Thanos in a post @-@ credits scene , although the character is not identified in the film . " He for me is the most powerful and fascinating Marvel villain . He 's the great grand daddy of the <unk> and he 's in love with Death and I just think that 's so cute . For me , the greatest Avengers [ comic book ] was Avengers Annual # 7 ( 1977 ) that Jim Starlin did followed by Marvel Two @-@ in @-@ One Annual # 2 ( 1977 ) that contained the death of Adam Warlock . Those were some of the most important texts and I think underrated milestones in Marvel history and Thanos is all over that , so somebody had to be in control and had to be behind Loki 's work and I was like ' It 's got to be Thanos . ' And they said ' Okay ' and I 'm like ' Oh my God ! ' " An additional coda involving the Avengers eating shawarma was shot on April 12 , 2012 , a day after the world premiere . Shawarma sales in Los Angeles , St. Louis , and Boston reportedly skyrocketed in the days following the film 's release .
The film contains more than 2 @,@ 200 visual effects shots completed by 14 companies : Industrial Light & Magic ( ILM ) , Weta Digital , Scanline VFX , Hydraulx , Fuel VFX , Evil Eye Pictures , Luma Pictures , Cantina Creative , Trixter , Modus FX , <unk> , Digital Domain , The Third Floor and Method Design . ILM was the lead vendor and shared responsibility for creating many of the film 's key effects , including the Helicarrier , the New York cityscape , digital body doubles , Iron Man and the Hulk . To create the on @-@ screen Hulk , Ruffalo performed in a motion @-@ capture suit on set with the other actors while four motion @-@ capture HD cameras ( two full body , two focused on his face ) captured his face and body movements . Jeff White , ILM 's visual effects supervisor , said , " We really wanted to utilize everything we 've developed the last 10 years and make it a pretty spectacular Hulk . One of the great design decisions was to incorporate Mark Ruffalo into the look of him . So , much of Hulk is based on Ruffalo and his performance , not only in motion capture and on set , but down to his eyes , his teeth , and his tongue . "
ILM digitally recreated the vast majority of the New York cityscape used in the film . In total , ILM artists rendered an area of about ten city blocks by about four city blocks . To do this , ILM sent out a team of four photographers to take pictures of the area in a shoot that lasted 8 weeks . Disney and Sony Pictures agreed for OsCorp Tower from The Amazing Spider @-@ Man to be included in the film , but the idea was dropped because much of the skyline had already been completed .
Weta Digital took over duties for animating Iron Man during the forest duel from ILM . Guy Williams , Weta 's visual effects supervisor , said , " We shared assets back and forth with ILM , but our pipelines are unique and it 's hard for other assets to plug into it . But in this case , we got their models and we had to redo the texture spaces because the way we texture maps is different . " Williams said the most difficult part was re @-@ creating Iron Man 's reflective metal surfaces .
Scanline VFX completed the reveal shots of the Helicarrier , from the moment Black Widow and Captain America arrive on the carrier deck to the point where it lifts off . Evil Eye Pictures composited digital backgrounds into shots filmed against a greenscreen for scenes taking place inside the Helicarrier . Colin Strause of Hydraulx said , " We did the opening ten minutes of the movie , other than the opening set @-@ up in space " including Loki 's arrival on Earth and subsequent escape from the S.H.I.E.L.D. base . Luma Pictures worked on shots featuring the Helicarrier 's bridge and incorporated the graphic monitor displays that were developed by Cantina Creative . Fuel VFX completed shots taking place in and around Tony Stark 's penthouse at Stark Tower . Digital Domain created the asteroid environment , where Loki encounters The Other . Method Design in Los Angeles created the film 's closing credits . Steve Viola , creative director at Method Design , said , " This piece was a two @-@ minute , self @-@ contained main on end sequence created entirely in CG . For each of the shots in the sequence , we designed , modeled , textured , and lit all of the environments and many of the foreground objects . We received assets from Marvel to include in the piece , then heavily re @-@ modeled and re @-@ surfaced them to create a post @-@ battle macro sequence . We also designed a custom typeface for the Main Title of The Avengers as well as 30 credits set in @-@ scene . "
= = Music = =
In November 2011 , Marvel announced that Alan Silvestri , who scored Captain America : The First Avenger , would write and compose the score for The Avengers . Silvestri said , " I 've worked on films where there have been a number of stars and certainly worked on films where there have been characters of equal weight in terms of their level of importance and profile in the film , but this one is somewhat extreme in that regard because each of these characters has their own world and it 's a very different situation . It 's very challenging to look for a way to give everyone the weight and consideration they need , but at the same time the film is really about the coming together of these characters , which implies that there is this entity called the Avengers which really has to be representative of all of them together . " Silvestri developed the score with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London , England . Whedon said , " The score is very old @-@ fashioned , which is why [ Silvestri ] was letter @-@ perfect for this movie because he can give you the heightened emotion , the [ Hans Zimmer ] school of ' I 'm just feeling a lot right now ! ' but he can also be extraordinarily cue and character specific , which I love . "
In March 2012 , American alternative rock band Soundgarden announced through its Facebook page that its song " Live to Rise " would be included on the film 's soundtrack . Additionally , the Indian rock band <unk> released a music video for its single " Hello <unk> " , which serves as the theme song for the film 's Indian release . Hollywood Records released the soundtrack concept album inspired by the film , Avengers Assemble , on May 1 , 2012 , the same day as the score .
= = Release = =
In February 2012 , Disney announced that the film 's title would be changed in the United Kingdom to avoid confusion with the British TV series of the same name , as well as its 1998 film adaptation . This led to confusion over the film 's actual title . Empire magazine reported that the film would be titled Marvel Avengers Assemble while The Hollywood Reporter said that it would be called simply Avengers Assemble . Marvel 's UK website refers to the film as Marvel 's Avengers Assemble , although David Cox of The Guardian , in arguing that it was one of the worst film titles ever , considered this to be an error in the production notes , albeit grammatically clearer . According to the British Board of Film Classification and the Irish Film Classification Office , the title is Marvel Avengers Assemble . Frank Lovece in <unk> addressed the discrepancy , writing , " The Avengers — formally titled Marvel 's The Avengers onscreen , though no apostrophe @-@ s appears on the posters ... " Producer Kevin Feige said there are only two words in the UK title , one more than in the U.S. title , and stated that " decisions like that aren 't made lightly and there are lots of marketing research , lawyers and things that get into the mix on it " .