Marvel’s Avengers Assemble For Endgame!

Hey All!

I don’t know about you, but we’re in full Avengers Endgame mania here and I can’t wait for everyone to see it! It’s seriously the most epic superhero movie to ever be put on the big screen. I won’t get too much into it, but my spoiler free review will be on the site tomorrow. In the meantime, I wanted to take today to share the amazing experience I had recently at the press event for the film. I will also share some tidbits the cast and filmmakers shared during the event. In attendance were Robert Downey Jr. (“Tony Stark / Iron-Man”), Chris Evans (“Steve Rogers / Captain America”), Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”),  Scarlett Johansson (“Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow”), Mark Ruffalo (“Bruce Banner / The Hulk”), Jeremy Renner (“Clint Baron / Hawkeye”), Brie Larson (“Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel”), Don Cheadle (“James Rhodes / War Machine”), Paul Rudd (“Scott Lang / Ant-Man”), Karen Gillan (“Nebula”), Danai Gurira (“Okoye”), Directors Anthony & Joe Russo, and  Producer Kevin Feige.

Along with the cast all the main casts costumes were on display. It was a sight to see so many costumes lined side by side. It felt like it could keep going and going!

They had an amazing group of products on display…

And some props like the Infinity Gauntlet. It’s such an honor to be here and see all these amazing costumes that we may never see on the big screen again. It’s been an amazing journey to cover these films.

The press Q&A was moderated by Jon Favreau! The man who started it all with Iron Man!

The cast was reveled when a black curtain dropped down. As a joke, it was at first only a few of the remaining Avengers who didn’t vanish in the snap.

The rest of the Avengers then came out and Jon started the Q&A.

Jon Favreau started by asking Robert Downey Jr. what he would like the fans to call this film Avengers End Game? Would he prefer them call it Infinity War 2, Avengers 4, or perhaps Iron Man 22?

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.:

Well, there’s time for that yet. Again, I’ve been just feeling like I’m kind of an oddball manny who I’ve been offered the opportunity to usher in this large experience. I look around and we are close and growing closer by the moment. So it’s just great to here.

Jon then chatted with Kevin Feige about the films.

JON FAVREAU:  

11 years ago, you could not have predicted the 22 films you’ve produced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be so wildly successful and popular. When did you actually begin to realize that you had something big on your hands?

KEVIN FEIGE:

Well, big is relative, But we hired a great director to do the first film in the MCU. Then we hired a great actor and we had fun making that first movie as you recall.  It was sort of the success of it, the bar for success was pretty low. It felt high at the time. But it was not that high. It was comparative to other Marvel films that had been out in that general area, which is what we wanted to compete with. But as we were making the movie and as we were looking at dailies and as we were looking at effects tests coming in, we realized that this was really going to be special and even perhaps more special than we thought. And in that opening weekend, and in response to the trailer frankly with you coming out at Hall H at Comic-Con for the first time, showing that trailer. There started to be a much bigger sort of wind behind our back. Combined with Mr. Sam Jackson’s cameo that we secretly did on that Saturday at Playa. And then secretly leaked the next day. And the response to that, people picked up that that meant this interconnected universe which everybody knew from the books, but had never been done in the movies.

He then asked the Russo Brothers how does the surprise ending of Avengers Infinity War affect the tone of end game and the aftermath of Thanos’ destruction?

ANTHONY RUSSO:

So the ending of Infinity War is look, Joe and I have mentioned this before. One of our favorite story telling adages is write yourself into a corner. And what we take that to mean is put yourself in a place on a narrative level where you have no idea how you could possibly move forward from here. And that’s a very exciting place to be. And it forces you to come up with some really creative ways forward. And we’ve tried to do that with the endings of every single Marvel movie we’ve done and never more so of course than Infinity War. We are very committed to the ending of that movie. We think that stories lose their meaning and relevancy and resonance unless there are real stakes. And for us, moving into this new movie into End Game, the story is very much about, how do these characters, how do these heroes deal with loss, resounding loss. That’s what they’ve experienced in Infinity War. That was a unique experience for all of them and how does a person move forward from that moment, how does a hero move forward from that moment? Our road into this story is how is everybody on an individual level dealing with that experience and then how do they collectively deal with it.

JOE RUSSO:

This is I think a really unique experiment in movies, this grand mosaic. Depending on how you count it up, 11 franchises that have been interwoven into one big narrative. And I think a lot of people have invested a lot of heart and soul into the characters. When we take these movies around the world, it’s really heartwarming to see people come up to you and say hey. I started watching this with my classmates when I was ten years old. Now we’re all 21 and we’re all going to go see this together. Or my parents have taken me to every movie or my grandfather has taken me to every film. It’s a real sense of community and sharing in these stories and believing in them. And I think with End Game, we get the opportunity to think to finish off one of the grandest experiments in movie history and bring it to, as Kevin said, an epic conclusion. So what we’re hoping for is that people feel satisfied with the conclusion.

 

He then moved on to my favorite Chris Hemsworth. The strongest and hottest Avenger in my opinion. He asked him what has made Thor such an entertaining and beloved character through his own franchise and in the Avengers as well. And what do you like best about playing him?

CHRIS HEMSWORTH:

Well, just to echo something you were saying before Anthony about the first time that the Marvel Universe came into my universe back in Australia, I was sitting there. And I would have been just straight out of high school and watching Iron Man 1 and thinking the same thing. Thinking oh my God, imagine, I wish I could be a part of that world. And then a few years on, getting cast in it, as Thor and having the opportunity to embark on this thing, and at the time I thought, was this film even going to make it past DVD? Or make to the cinemas? Or was I going to be recast and all those sort of questions. And look, I think the answer to the question, what made is so special for me was just the different people I was able to work with. From Kenneth Brannagh to that first film, was really sort of completely in his hands. And he was basically willing to do whatever it takes and wherever he needed me to go for the character. And then through the films with each director and in each different cast member, I would learn something different from them. And by the time about Ragnarok, I felt like I finally had enough sort of confidence to go okay. What is it that I could possibly bring to this? And then have this great collaboration with Taika. We really decided to do something different to see how we could make it unexpected and unique. And then I had been calling Joe and Anthony and saying look, I’ve got this new version of Thor that we’ve just shot. I want to continue that version. I don’t want to do the old version. And he said we’ve got an even newer version for you. And it was. And then as was this film here and it’s just about the people that’s made it so special and I think unique each time with any of our characters. Everybody you get to interact with and the fact that we’re all willing to be open to what new possibilities lie ahead of these franchises and these characters. And it’s been a pretty remarkable journey.

Chris Evans was asked what it has meant to him to play Captain America and what do he likes best about Cap in this film?

CHRIS EVANS:

I can’t really talk about that. Well, I guess I can give broad strokes. I think just the completion of the arc. That’s safe to say, right? This movie does kind of provide kind of an ending to a lot of the characters. And he’s been through so much. I don’t know. There’s been so many wonderful elements of working on this movie. And I’ll echo what Chris said. Just truly, not to seem like a safe answer or something, but really honestly, the friendships and connections I’ve made over these ten years now, it truly has become a family.

Jon then chatted with Scarlett about her character. He asked what was the best part of playing a character in this universe?

SCARLETT JOHANNSON:

I mean, initially, the character, and actually, I was talking with Danai about this yesterday. We spent the whole day together analyzing this whole journey. But the character really started as a sort of sexy secretary with a skill set on the side.

JON FAVREAU:  

Posing as.

SCARLETT JOHANNSON:

Posing as. Thank you. And we didn’t know. Or I certainly didn’t know how the audience would react to the character, my interpretation of the character. And obviously a very beloved character for a long time. And I feel then the next time that we saw her in Avengers, she was sort of one of the boys for better or worse. And that made sense then. And as I think the fans and the audiences have really pushed, certainly Marvel, but pushed all the studios and filmmakers to really throw up on the screen what represents what’s going on in the zeitgeist and wanting to see diverse films and casts that represents their own aspirations and how they feel. I feel the character has sort of grown in reaction to that. And the movies have really grown in reaction to that kind of fan encouragement. And honestly, I have to say it’s so, I remember when Lizzie signed on. Colby was there. We were all clinging to each other. I felt like I had been in this testosterone fest for such a long time. It was so nice to see other female cast members. And then with Brie coming on and Karen and Danai. And you know, it’s really, I feel like I’m in just this, I’m amongst so many wonderful actors, so many strong actors, and it’s just grown beyond my wildest dreams. I could never have imagined where this would take us. And all of us. It’s been quite a journey.

He asked Karen Gillan “What excited here about bringing back Nebula for Avengers End Game?”.

KAREN GILLAN:

Well, I think it’s maybe safe to say that she suffers from some daddy issues. Because her dad is Thanos, so who wouldn’t? And I think I’m excited for her to finally face the source of this abuse. This has sort of been building through multiple movies through the Guardians movies. And she’s talked about how she wants to inflict revenge. And so we all know about that. So I would like to see her try and face that. I don’t know if she will. Maybe she won’t. I’m not saying anything. I just got really nervous I gave something away. So I’m going to stop.

He next chatted about Captain Marvel!

JON FAVREAU:

Brie Larson. Everyone is waiting to see Captain Marvel in action with the Avengers. Did working with them on this film connect you to the bigger MCU picture? And how did that feel?

BRIE LARSON:

I came at just the most magical time I think. To come exactly at this ten year anniversary and really my first introduction to everyone was the ten year photo, which was a really remarkable and special day. And super surreal and also like not allowed to talk about it. So the whole thing has always felt like a dream. And this film will always be personally dear to me because it was my first time playing Captain Marvel. We shot this first. So I had to stumble and try to figure out who this character was with no script for this and no script for Captain Marvel either. And perform for the first time in front of legends. But it was incredible! I think the other part of it is the set feels like a bunch of kids. Just like what I was doing over summer break. Making movies in my garage. There is still this sense of wonder and play and encouragement. And of course this film deals with some heavy subject matters. So you’re bouncing in between things that feel very deep and serious. And then we’re going off and playing boggle. Which I am very good at. Just to be clear. And so it’s nothing. There is no other word I can describe it as other than surreal. And I’m super excited for this to come out. Mostly just so that I can talk about it. I want to be able to talk about my experience. Which I haven’t been able to do for a very long time.

Jon Favreau touched on the touchy subject of the War Machine recasting!

JON FAVREAU:  

Don Cheadle. Rhodey has been there since the beginning. What do you like best about playing him and suiting up as War Machine?

DON CHEADLE:

Well, you were there from the beginning obviously. And Rhodey obviously started, I think it’s fair to say, as a lighter toned. In a visual, sort of bigger than life than I am in real life. But as the character sort of darkened and things became more compact, the narrative, I think we’ve seen a real growth of this character.  He’s gone through his trials and tribulations obviously over the course of these films and come out the other side now and has his legs under him, no pun intended, literally, and is able to really be a part of this team and really contribute at a high level, it’s been a lot of fun to see where he’s come from and to see where he’s gone and see what else happens next. But kind of to echo what Brie said, we’ve had a great time this whole time. Being together and having the Downey lunches that we have, that he’s put together and to get to know these people. I’ve always known their work, But to get to know them as individuals and get to be friends and to come back, to get to keep coming back to these relationships again and seeing where everybody is and people that have kids and kids going on to college and people having kids and relationships starting and ending. It’s rare to have that kind of an experience over the course of ten years with the same group of people. So it’s really nice.

Those are just some of the great moments from the Q&A from the press event. I’m so happy to have been able to see the potential final time these actors will all be in the same room together. It really did feel like I was in the room with all my heroes for the last time. I almost cried!

I digress…

I hope you enjoyed this inside look at the Avengers Endgame press day!

AVENGERS: ENDGAME opens in theaters everywhere on April 26th!

Get your tickets now if you haven’t already! It’s the movie of the year!

 

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