‘The Avengers’ Trailer & Clips: Tom Hiddleston Loki Rules

Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, The Avengers.

The Avengers are here. Have no fear. Scroll down for the extended Super Bowl Avengers trailer, and feel free to start laughing. For to call the Avengers trailer silly would be quite an understatement. Robert Downey Jr’s deadpan delivery is supposed to be funny, but what had me cracking up instead were Scarlett Johansson as a dead serious Black Widow and Samuel L. Jackson telling us he still believes in heroes.

Fans of video games and Marvel comics and cartoons will surely not be disappointed with The Avengers. Tom Hiddleston fans likely won’t be disappointed, either. In their brief scene together, Hiddleston makes Downey Jr look like an amateur. Now, why is it that villains are always so much more interesting than heroes in mainstream American movies? But having said that, I gotta admit that Jeremy Renner looks good as Hawkeye.

Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers features Chris Evans as Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, and veteran Jenny Agutter (Walkabout, Logan’s Run).

The Avengers opens on May 4. Get ready. This is gonna be a long, silly summer. And quite possibly a profitable one for the Hollywood studios as well.

Tom Hiddleston Loki rules The Avengers

April 12

My two favorite parts in this The Avengers TV spot – “Roll Call” (please scroll down), featuring Tom Hiddleston and Robert Downey Jr. – are the following:

• New York City cops firing their guns at alien invaders. That’s sort of like a bunch of five-year-olds firing their water pistols at an approaching tank about to turn them into human pulp.
• Tom Hiddleston’s Loki telling Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark/Iron Man: “We have an army.” How can you not root for that guy? It helps that Hiddleston, unlike Downey Jr, is taking his role quite seriously – i.e., he’s not begging the audience for a response, he’s truly bringing a character to life.

Directed by Joss Whedon (who produced and wrote the upcoming The Cabin in the Woods), The Avengers opens May 4. In addition to War Horse‘s Tom Hiddleston and Sherlock Holmes’ Robert Downey Jr, The Avengers features Captain America: The First Avenger‘s Chris Evans as the Captain, The Kids Are All Right‘s Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Se7en‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Rush‘s Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Also: Match Point‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Town‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter, The Storm Awaits’ Cobie Smulders, and the voices of Paul Bettany and Lou Ferrigno.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki / The Avengers photo: Zade Rosenthal / Walt Disney Studios.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki, The Avengers

Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, whose trailers make it look like Michael Bay’s Transformers movies – but with even more juvenile humor – has an earth-shattering 96 percent approval rating among Rotten Tomatoes‘ critics. For comparison’s sake, this year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, has a 98 percent approval rating. (Well, okay, with many more votes tallied.)

So, here’s wondering if Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises will be as well received as The Avengers, despite a lack of Michael Bayish explosions and bad jokes. Heck, if the critical love keeps up, here’s wondering if The Avengers will be shortlisted among the year’s Best Picture Oscar nominees next awards season.

Either way, check out a The Avengers clip below featuring Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury debating on the meaning of power and desperation. How can one not root for Loki to come out on top? And how can one not crack up when Nick Fury indignantly tells The Mad Asgardian, “You threatened my world with war.”

Doesn’t Nick Fury have access to world news? And how about Tom Hiddleston for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar? Please scroll down.

The Avengers opens May 4. In addition to War Horse‘s Hiddleston and Pulp Fiction‘s Jackson, The Avengers features The Iceman / Captain America: The First Avenger‘s Chris Evans as the red-white-and-blue Captain, Due Date / Sherlock Holmes’ Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, The Kids Are All Right / Shutter Island‘s Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Contagion / Shakespeare in Love‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Snow White and the Huntsman / The Cabin in the Woods’ Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Also: He’s Just Not That into You / Match Point‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Bourne Legacy / The Town‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Grassroots / The Storm Awaits’ Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter, and the voices of Paul Bettany and Lou Ferrigno.

The Avengers photo: Zade Rosenthal / Walt Disney Studios.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Chris Evans as Captain America in The Avengers.

“Every team needs a captain.” The Earth is in apocalyptic danger and needs to be saved. From global warming? Nah. Psycho humans with too much power and too little sense of ethics? Nah. The right answer: From Loki and his invading alien army. What to do? Bring back Captain America. Check out the Captain America / The Avengers TV spot below.

Chris Evans sure looks the part of a superhandsome, superbuffed-up, superhero. But can he fly? Perhaps he doesn’t have to. Anyhow, the Captain America sequel comes out in 2014.

Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers opens May 4. In addition to Evans – who deserves an Oscar for not cracking up while delivering his lines – The Avengers features Sherlock Holmes / Due Date‘s Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, The Kids Are All Right / Shutter Island‘s Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Shakespeare in Love / Iron Man 2‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Snow White and the Huntsman / Rush / The Cabin in the Woods’ Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Also: He’s Just Not That into You / Lost in Translation / Match Point‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Hurt Locker / Mission Impossible: IV – Ghost Protocol‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and The Deep Blue Sea / Midnight in Paris’ Tom Hiddleston as the villainous Loki.

And finally: Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter, The Storm Awaits’ Cobie Smulders, and the voices of Paul Bettany and Lou Ferrigno.

Chris Hemsworth / Chris Evans / The Avengers photo: Walt Disney Studios.

Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, The Avengers

A group of “isolated, unbalanced,” highly dysfunctional characters – one, for instance, turns green when angry; another is a grown man who walks around in a red-white-and-blue mardi gras costume – must band together to fight a common enemy. Or rather, enemies. And thus save the Earth. But is the Earth worth saving? Who cares? The special effects are cool, and Mark Ruffalo looks good in green while Chris Evans looks good in red, white, etc., as can be attested by this latest The Avengers TV spot, “Isolated.” (Please scroll down.)

Directed by Joss Whedon (who produced and wrote the upcoming The Cabin in the Woods), The Avengers opens May 4. In addition to War Horse‘s Hiddleston and Sherlock Holmes’ Downey Jr, The Avengers features The Iceman / Fantastic Four‘s Chris Evans as Captain America, Margaret / Thanks for Sharing‘s Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Contagion / Se7en‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Snow White and the Huntsman / Rush‘s Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Also: He’s Just Not That into You / Lost in Translation‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Bourne Legacy / The Town‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter, The Storm Awaits’ Cobie Smulders, and the voices of Paul Bettany and Lou Ferrigno.

Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner / The Avengers photo: Zade Rosenthal / Walt Disney Studios.

Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, The Avengers

Scarlett Johansson gets an important call in this latest The Avengers TV spot. No, (unfortunately) it’s not Woody Allen at the end of the line. Anyhow, before taking care of her caller, Johansson has more pressing matters at hand. Once she gets done – i.e., lots of men (but no women) lying either dead or comatose on the floor – Johansson blithely sashays away. Shortly thereafter, she’ll be joining forces with an elite team of superheroes (all Marvel, of course) to save the planet from a bunch of unruly supervillains.

Directed by Joss Whedon (who produced and wrote Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods, which opens on Friday), The Avengers opens May 4. In addition to Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, the action / fantasy / sci-fier features The Iceman / Fantastic Four‘s Chris Evans as Captain America, Margaret / Thanks for Sharing‘s Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Contagion / Se7en‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Snow White and the Huntsman / Red Dawn / Star Trek‘s Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Also: The Bourne Legacy / Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter, The Storm Awaits’ Cobie Smulders, and the voices of Paul Bettany and Lou Ferrigno.

Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner / The Avengers photo: Zade Rosenthal / Walt Disney Studios.

April 8

Mark Ruffalo in non-smashing mode as Bruce Banner, The Avengers

See below another The Avengers TV spot: “Hulk Smash.” Considering the size of the Earth-invading army, The Incredible Hulk will have a lot of smashing to do. While on his rampage, he’ll also have to be very careful not to smash his fellow super-heroes by accident. (Though looking at the picture further below, I can’t help but wonder if this is the aftermath of a friendly-smashing incident.)

Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers opens May 4. The Marvel Comics adaptation stars Captain America: The First Avenger‘s Chris Evans as the Captain, Chaplin / Tropic Thunder‘s Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, The Kids Are All Right‘s Mark Ruffalo as the smashing Hulk, Shakespeare in Love / Iron Man 2‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Snow White and the Huntsman / Rush / Red Dawns’ Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Also: He’s Just Not That into You / Lost in Translation‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Hurt Locker / Mission Impossible: IV – Ghost Protocol‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and The Deep Blue Sea / Midnight in Paris’ Tom Hiddleston as the villainous Loki.

And finally: Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson, and Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter.

Mark Ruffalo / The Avengers photo: Walt Disney Enterprises.

April 7

The Incredible Hulk as Mark Ruffalo, The Avengers

I don’t know why The Incredible Hulk looks so pensive / concerned / remorseful (?) in the above photo. Not sure if it’s a case of friendly fire … Perhaps he stepped on the Black Widow by accident? Anyhow, the Hulk picture has been making the rounds online.

Mark Ruffalo plays the Hulk in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, alongside several other Marvel heroes. Edward Norton played the big green guy in the 2008 movie, but was – quite publicly – not invited back for the superhero reunion, much to his dismay.

In addition to Ruffalo, a Best Supporting Actor nominee for The Kids Are All Right, The Avengers features Captain America: The First Avenger‘s Chris Evans as the red-white-and-blue Captain himself, Chaplin / Tropic Thunder‘s Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Shakespeare in Love / Iron Man 2‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Snow White and the Huntsman / The Cabin in the Woods’ Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Match Point / Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Hurt Locker / The Town‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and War Horse‘s Tom Hiddleston as Loki.

Also: Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson, and Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter.

The film’s official plot synopsis is as follows:

When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

The Incredible Hulk photo: Marvel Pictures. Via comicbookmovie.com.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, The Avengers

When I look at the bombastic TV spot “Team” for the upcoming The Avengers (please scroll down), I can’t help but feel sorry for Planet Earth and its hapless inhabitants. How can this ragtag bunch of people, however good at throwing shields or turning green, save the planet from Loki, his countless alien (?) minions, and a giant metallic snake?

Well, expect screenplay contrivances galore. Perhaps the snake will rust, as it wasn’t built to survive the corrosive effects of the Earth’s greenhouse gases? Here’s hoping.

Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers features Captain America: The First Avenger‘s Chris Evans as the red-white-and-blue Captain, Chaplin / Tropic Thunder‘s Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, The Kids Are All Right‘s Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Shakespeare in Love / Iron Man 2‘s Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Snow White and the Huntsman / Rush / Red Dawns’ Chris Hemsworth as Thor, He’s Just Not That into You / Lost in Translation‘s Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, The Hurt Locker / Mission Impossible: IV – Ghost Protocol‘s Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and The Deep Blue Sea / Midnight in Paris’ Tom Hiddleston as Loki.

Also: Melancholia / Mamma Mia!‘s Stellan Skarsgård, Pulp Fiction‘s Samuel L. Jackson, and Walkabout / Logan’s Run‘s Jenny Agutter.

The Avengers opens May 4.

Scarlett Johansson / The Avengers photo: Marvel Pictures.

April 5

Chris Evans shirtless on “operating” table: Captain America: The First Avenger

April 10

Chris Evans will return as Marvel’s Captain America in the inevitable sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. According to Walt Disney Studios, the upcoming Captain America movie will hit theaters on April 4, 2014. Perhaps by 2016, Hollywood’s summer season will begin in mid-February. It’s unclear if global warming is responsible.

The first Captain America performed well enough at the North American box office – $176 million – and ended up taking in $368 million at the worldwide box office. It cost a reported $140 million. Disney is surely hoping that the sequel will outperform the original, which is usually the case – Wrath of the Titans / Clash of the Titans notwithstanding.

Directed by Joe Johnston, Captain America: The First Avenger featured Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Richard Armitage, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Stanley Tucci in supporting roles. Paramount distributed the action film.

Those who just can’t wait to see Chris Evans in red, white and blue should get their fashion yearnings satisfied when Joss Whedon’s The Avengers opens on May 4. Evans’ Captain America will be joined by Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Mark Ruffalo’s The Hulk, and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow.

Chris Evans / Captain America: The First Avenger photo: Jay Maidment / Marvel / Paramount.

March 16

Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, The Avengers

Paramount is celebrating its centenary in 2012. Minor detail: Paramount didn’t exist as a distribution entity until the mid-1910s and as a de facto studio (named Paramount) until the late ’20s, but never mind. The point is that as part of Paramount’s celebration, the Hollywood major is offering audiences bigger and better movies. Well, scratch the “better” half. But bigger, definitely.

But how can that be possible? Haven’t movies gotten as big as they can get? Well, yes and no. There will come a time, for instance, when mean alien invaders will not only kill millions on screen, but also millions sitting in movie theaters – thus doing their bit for population control. Technology, of course, hasn’t reached that high level of sophistication yet; so, since we can’t get louder sound effects and bigger visual effects, we get instead a smorgasbord of superheroes in one single movie. Sort of like MGM’s 1932 Best Picture Oscar winner Grand Hotel – Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, and Lionel Barrymore in one movie – but in Marvel 2012 style.

And that’s where Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, a Paramount release, does its bit for the studio’s (faux) centenary. “More superheroes than there are in comic-book heaven” should have been the film’s tagline.

In The Avengers, Thor, the Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, and the Black Widow join forces to fight ruthless invaders out to destroy the planet. And in the Japanese trailer below, you get to see brief scenes missing from the previously released American trailers. As a plus, the editing feels tighter, and there’s much less emphasis on the puerile humor found in the American trailer.

Curiously, the focus of this Japanese The Avengers trailer – when not showcasing explosions and assorted special effects – is the reluctance of the individualistic heroes to join forces to fight a common enemy. Wanna bet that before the final credits roll, their motto will have turned into “One for All. All for One”?

The Avengers features Chris Evans as Captain America, two-time Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. (Chaplin, Tropic Thunder) as Iron Man, Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love) as Pepper Potts, Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right) as Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk (instead of former Hulk actor Edward Norton), Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town) as Hawkeye, Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Also: Stellan Skarsgård, Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction), and veteran Jenny Agutter (Walkabout, Logan’s Run).

Now, is there a reason why Wonder Woman [addendum: DC, not Marvel, okay…], Namor, and Kick-Ass are nowhere to be found in The Avengers?

Jeremy Renner / Chris Evans / Scarlett Johansson / The Avengers photo: Zade Rosenthal / Marvel / Paramount Pictures.