On the set of The Avengers, RDJ and Chris Hemsworth had an amusing first encounter. A culmination film was produced by Marvel Studios after Phase 1 saw the development of their core group of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The Avengers, which came out in 2012, was the first taste of the MCU’s interconnected storytelling. Consequently, it’s fair to assume that it wouldn’t have worked as well if the characters in the film hadn’t got along with each other.
Fortunately, the six original members of the MCU all hit it off right away. Having a good rapport with each other was also helpful. A large part of the success of The Avengers rested on the talents of the actors involved. While the action sequences were entertaining, it was the horseplay between the original members of the team that made the film so enjoyable to watch. With so many new characters joining the MCU each year, it’s no surprise that fans have remained invested in them both individually and collectively.
RDJ Wanted To Break Chris Hemsworth’s Knee
Downey wasn’t quite sure what to make of Hemsworth at one point. Jeremy Renner, who plays Hawkeye in the MCU, revealed during a recent guest appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast that he suggested breaking the legs of his Australian co-star during their first day on the set of The Avengers. Downey was, of course, joking; he and Hemsworth have a great relationship. Despite this, it’s a funny tale. Below, you can read Renner’s account of what happened.
“If you ever played any sports, it was like joining a new team. I knew Robert Downey Jr., I knew Scarlett Johansson, I just didn’t know Chris Hemsworth. He’s amazing, but we didn’t know, right? On the first day, we’re all waiting around in our costumes. It looks like it’s Halloween. We’re excited but equally feeling ridiculous. I feel like we all knew each other somehow, someway, except for this Hemsworth guy, because he comes from Australia. And he’s the tallest, the most good-looking… Downey was like, ‘We gotta break his knee. We gotta take him out. This guy’s too good-looking. He’s too tall, he’s too charming, f*ck this guy.”
No Replacement For The Original Team
To set the record straight, this isn’t the first time the Avengers have all come together. Marvel Studios made the official announcement of the film at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. It is here where they were joined by all six original MCU actors, as well as Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg. In any case, they didn’t have much time to get to know one another. This prevented them from building a relationship while they were there. Downey’s joke on the first day of The Avengers filming shows just how at ease he was in the environment. The actor’s edgy humor is well-known, and while some may find it repulsive, it likely played a key role in helping him and his co-stars become friends. After all, they became very close friends.
The original Avengers lineup would be difficult to replace for Marvel Studios. Even if new MCU teams were objectively more powerful than the ones they replaced, that was not the primary reason for public interest in them in the first place. As a result, viewers were more interested in the fact that the actors seemed to have a good relationship with each other. As a result, fans will always cherish 2012’s The Avengers, which marked the first time the original six were all together.
