Thor
Released: April 27th, 2011
Runtime: 1hr 55mins
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Writers: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Protosevich
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Jaime Alexander, Rene Russo
Significant characters introduced: Thor, Loki, Odin, Dr Jane Foster, Frigga, Heimdall, Sif, Hawkeye/Clint Barton.
Notable universe developments: Thor makes contact with Earth, Loki discovers he is adopted, Odin is seen holding the Tesseract in an old illustration, Loki tries to take the throne of Asgard.
Thor is based upon the Marvel character of the same name, created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby in 1962.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), King of Asgard. As Thor makes preparations to ascend to the throne, he oversteps his boundaries and takes unsanctioned action in dealing with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim – reigniting a long-dormant conflict. Angered by the arrogance of his son, Odin relieves Thor of his godly powers, and banishes him to Earth. He sends with him his hammer, Mjolnir, but instils it with an enchantment that will only allow the worthy to wield it.
On Earth, Thor lands in New Mexico where he is discovered by Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her team. The astrophysicist is enthralled by the otherworldly visitor, and becomes caught up in the action when Thor tries to retrieve his hammer from S.H.I.E.L.D., and then comes under attack from forces sent by his adoptive brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who is trying to take the throne of Asgard.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Released: July 29th, 2011
Runtime: 2hrs 4mins
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Written by: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Starring: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Hugo Weaving, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Dominic Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Samuel L. Jackson, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, Kenneth Choi
Significant characters introduced: Steve Rogers/Captain America, Agent Peggy Carter, Bucky Barnes, Howard Stark
Notable universe developments: Captain America is created, The Tesseract is physically introduced, Hydra is introduced, Bucky is presumed dead, Captain America is frozen – then found and awoken after 70 years.
Captain America: The First Avenger is based upon the Marvel character of the same name, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1941.
As America joins World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is desperate to join his best friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), in enlisting in the United States Army – but he is repeatedly rejected due to his smaller-than-average size, and multitudinous health issues. He is approached by Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), who seeks a soldier to submit to his super-soldier experiment. Erskine arranges for Rogers’ enlistment, and the young man heads to training camp, where he is required to prove himself worthy of the Army’s resources.
The super-soldier experiment is successful, but the super-soldier serum is stolen by Hydra. With Erskine murdered, the U.S Army sidelines Rogers as a simple propaganda tool. However, when he hears that the unit of which Bucky Barnes is a member is missing in action, he assembles a group of soldiers to assist him in their rescue, against orders.
Captain America locates and rescues the missing unit, and in doing so, uncovers the extent of the agenda being pursued by Nazi Hydra leader Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving). He has retrieved the Tesseract – a powerful artefact – from a Viking ruin, and has harnessed its immense energy.
Captain America and his unit come under attack, and Bucky Barnes appears to be lost in a terrifying fall into a crevasse. Cap finally manages to destroy Schmidt, and sacrifices himself by flying the plane carrying the Tesseract into Arctic waters. Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) then recovers the Tesseract, but not Captain America.
Steve Rogers wakes up in the present day and finds himself talking to S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury. Fury explains that Rogers has been asleep for 70 years, and proposes that he embrace his super powers and join The Avengers.
The Avengers
Released: April 26th, 2012
Runtime: 2hrs 23mins
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Written by: Joss Whedon, Zak Penn
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Stellan Skarsgard, Cobie Smulders, Samuel L. Jackson
Significant characters introduced: Agent Maria Hill, Thanos
Notable universe developments: Loki tries to conquer Earth using the Tesseract and an alien race; Black Widow recruits Hulk to the Avengers; the team discovers S.H.I.E.L.D.’s plan to weaponize the Tesseract; Iron Man inserts himself into a wormhole to save the world; Thanos is revealed to be behind the attack on Earth.
The Avengers is based on the Marvel team of the same name, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963.
Loki – adoptive brother of Thor – strikes a deal with the extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri, and their master, Thanos. Loki will obtain the Tesseract and give it to them in exchange for an army that will allow him to conquer Earth. He psychically enslaves a number of people, including S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).
As Loki’s plan becomes clear, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury dispatches Black Widow to locate and bring in Dr. Bruce Banner. Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are also called in, and the team find and apprehend Loki, but are attacked by Thor who seeks to free his brother. Captain America and Iron Man manage to convince Thor to help them with his brother, and he brings him back in – at which point the group of superheroes discovers that the reason S.H.I.E.L.D. had the Tesseract in the first place was to weaponize it. This causes much moral wrangling among the superheroes.
Loki uses the Tesseract (which contains the Infinity Space Stone) to open a wormhole above New York City, and the Chitauri arrive – destroying the city in their wake. The Avengers assemble, and battle the alien invaders for the city – but Director Fury’s superiors are unconvinced of their efficacy and launch a nuclear missile at Manhattan. Iron Man flies to the missile, seizes it and drags it into the wormhole – believing that he is making the ultimate sacrifice. He survives the experience, however. The Avengers apprehend Loki once more, and Thor takes him and the Tesseract back to Asgard.
The film also sees the role of Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk re-cast with Mark Ruffalo.