The Avengers (2012 film)

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, it is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Written and directed by Joss Whedon, the film features an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, and Samuel L. Jackson.

The film sees Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruit Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye to form a team to stop Loki, Thor's adoptive brother, from subjugating Earth. Loki, aided by an alien army known as the Chitauri, seeks to claim the Tesseract, a powerful energy source.

The Avengers premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on April 11, 2012, and was released in the United States on May 4, 2012. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $1.5 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2012 and the third-highest-grossing film of all time at the time of its release. It received widespread praise for its direction, screenplay, visual effects, action sequences, and ensemble cast performances.

The film's success cemented the MCU as a major force in the film industry and spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs. The Avengers is considered a landmark achievement in superhero filmmaking and is credited with popularizing the shared cinematic universe concept.