Marvel’s much-hyped and long-awaited “The Avengers” had its premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday night in front of an audience of industry professionals and junket press, and word of mouth on Twitter immediately afterwards was largely positive, encouraging to say the least.
I’ll be sitting down with the cast and with Joss Whedon this weekend, and we’ll have those interviews for you here at HitFix and on our Hulu channel as well very soon. There’s plenty to talk about, especially after what happened at today’s press conference for the film.
Our newest correspondent, Geoff Berkshire, was at the press conference today, and he posted a piece about it that is a good read, although it may give away some of the film’s pleasures if you read it. I saw the film tonight, and the good news is that even if you’ve seen all the trailers and commercials, you reeeeeeally haven’t seen anything yet.
One reason for that is because they’re not done filming yet.
Or, more accurately, they’re done filming now, but only because while I was sitting in a theater in Hollywood watching the movie, The Avengers were assembled once again to shoot… something.
What they shot is still a closely-guarded secret, but the point of the timing was so that they could get everyone in one place at the same time. Makes sense. There are a few moments in the film where you can’t help but marvel at the fact that they really did it, they really put this thing together, and ever doing it again is going to be even twice the magic trick. It’s not just a matter of money, either. These movies have served to launch careers and relaunch others, and they’re going to be some busy, busy people in the next few years.
At the press conference today, Downey mentioned that they were planning to shoot a new scene later in the day. I saw people on Twitter mention the comment, particularly Devin Faraci and Geoff, who Tweeted:
“Robert Downey Jr just said #TheAvengers is not done shooting.”
When Geoff e-mailed us, he said, “Is he kidding? He says he isn’t. He just deadpanned it and left.”
Then he mailed again to tell us that Joss Whedon started the next press conference by denying it. “Sounds like it was Downey just having fun.” Mark Ruffalo insisted it was true, though. It sounded from the outside like a case of sarcasm reported as fact, maybe a private joke that wasn’t playing to anyone who wasn’t there.
Jeremy “Beaks” Smith over at Ain’t It Cool is a source I would absolutely trust when he says he has it confirmed, though, including the when and the where. And while that new scene most likely won’t be ready for the fan screenings happening this weekend, it should be dropped into the film wherever it goes by the time it hits theaters.
I can’t wait to dig into this one as a review, and to have the conversation that’s going to kick off when “The Avengers” opens in theaters everywhere May 4.