 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 . 
