With director Joss Whedon‘s The Avengers opening around the world in the coming weeks, over the past three days, Marvel and Walt Disney held a massive worldwide press junket here in Los Angeles and I got to speak with almost the entire cast in addition to Whedon. While I’ll be saving the interviews until closer to release (which is May 4 in America), I wanted to post a bit of what Whedon told me today. That’s because Whedon revealed The Avengers Blu-ray/DVD will have 30 minutes of deleted scenes and that his first cut was three hours! Hit the jump for more.
So you’re probably asking what scenes were cut from the film?
When I did The Avengers set visit last year (read it here), one of the things we saw in the art department was Steve Rodgers/Captain America’s Brooklyn apartment. But when I saw the film the other night, the scene wasn’t included. When I asked Whedon about it he said:
“We did film a scene in Cap’s apartment. It will be one of the DVD extras. I had quite a little sequence built of Cap not relating to the world and feeling his isolation and as we got closer and closer, we realized, when he’s punching that bag, he’s pretty much telling us everything we need to know. He’s in a gym by himself at night beating things up. And then you sort of go, “Actually, that story’s being told by that.”
In addition to that scene, Whedon told the NY Times about another one that featured Captain America reuniting with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) in the present day:
“One of the best scenes that I wrote was the beautiful and poignant scene between Steve and Peggy [Carter] that takes place in the present. And I was the one who was like, Guys, we need to lose this. It was killing the rhythm of the thing. And we did have a lot of Cap, because he really was the in for me. I really do feel a sense of loss about what’s happening in our culture, loss of the idea of community, loss of health care and welfare and all sorts of things. I was spending a lot of time having him say it, and then I cut that.”
While I wanted to ask a lot more about what was cut, my interview was very brief, so you’ll just have to be happy knowing the home video release is going to be loaded with extra footage.
Finally, as you’ve probably seen me say on again and again on Twitter, I absolutely loved The Avengers. It’s now my favorite Marvel movie. If you were nervous a movie loaded with so many characters couldn’t work, don’t worry, it does. Whedon really has accomplished a small miracle getting everyone enough screentime to make it all work. He’s also cast the perfect Bruce Banner/Hulk in Mark Ruffalo, who steals the movie and delivers some of the best lines. Trust me, you’re going to love The Avengers and you’re going to want to see the sequel immediately.
Here’s the part of the interview with Whedon where he talks about the deleted scenes. You can also read his quotes below. Expect the full interview the week of release.
Collider: I definitely want to try to ask a few questions that have not been asked, for example, I believe that maybe you filmed that scene in Cap’s apartment in Brooklyn. Was that filmed and did it make the movie?
Joss Whedon: Yes, we did film a scene in Cap’s apartment. It will be one of the DVD extras. I had quite a little sequence built of Cap not relating to the world and feeling his isolation and as we got closer and closer, we realized, when he’s punching that bag, he’s pretty much telling us everything we need to know. He’s in a gym by himself at night beating things up. And then you sort of go, “Actually, that story’s being told by that.”
About how many minutes do you think will be on the DVD/Blu-ray of deleted scenes?
Whedon: At least 30.
Get out. Really?
Whedon: Mmhm.
That’s a very big number.
Whedon: My first assembly was three hours long.
Is it a lot of stuff that’s character stuff?
Whedon: It is. It’s some character stuff but it was more ancillary. Marvel never wanted to take the texture out of the movie, the little moments between people. We wanted, obviously, to streamline it and make it not so long that it became self-indulgent, which at that length it was, and they wanted to focus on The Avengers more than anything else, but the thing I loved was there were so many little moments that I thought, “They’re going to make me squeeze this out,” and they never did. Once we had the structure down, they really wanted it to breathe and for these things to be as textured as they could be.
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They should add the Peggy Carter scene in Cap 2
Does that mean we’ll be able to choose from watching either the theatrical version or something like an extended version on the Blu Ray or DVD?
Being able to watch a longer version of the movie with those scenes re-added would kick much arse.
In a previous interview Joss Whedon said that he considered the final version we will see in the theaters the directors cut. These extra scenes will just be extras.
So looking forward to see this movie! Lots of extas on the DVD?BluRay is also really cool!
Marvel needs to use Joss Whedon for the Avengers sequel, hopefully they spend the money to get Joss to write/direct. Also nice to hear good buzz on the Hulk, who knows maybe Marvel will try and give him another sooner than later if he works so well in the Avengers, his my personal favorite
Apart from the right casting choice of Mark for the role and the much improved look of the Hulk, I think the reason why Hulk works in the Avengers is because he’s part of an ensemble.
I think making a standalone Hulk that appeals will be tough. I wouldn’t mind at all though. Then again there were naysayers who thought Joss couldn’t pull off an Avengers movie…which he did and apparently made the Hulk shine in it too.
So maybe director’s chair needs to go to him if at all another standalone Hulk movie gets made, which I doubt as Marvel may have finally found a movie formula which works for Hulk.
Hulk rules
This is great! So, what’s the final running time for The Avengers?
Nevermind. I read that it is 135 minutes. If that’s wrong, let me know.
3000 interviews but never a kind word to remember Jack Kirby
Amen, brother. Every character in the Avengers exist and succeeded because of Jack’s designs and creativity.
Stan Lee would be selling insurance without Kirby and Ditko.
Kirby was a talentless hack..seriously the guy was a horrible artist…
He is remembered today for one reason only…because he was lucky enough to have been around to feed off of Stan’s energy and brilliance.
Now Ditko was talented…and deserves way more praise than he gets…but I guess since he was less vocal about trying to claim credit for Marvel than was Kirby, folks don’t immediately think of him like they do “loud-mouth” Kirby.
I saw the movie at the World Premier last week. It’s about 2 hours and 20 mins long. The movie is amazing! The HULK steals just about every scene he is in. Joss Weadon really did a great job at giving everyone a moment to shine in the film. I’m a big Avengers fan & I wasn’t disappointed at all. Very satisfying movie experience.
I am sooooo excited for this, and so damn happy after reading all the praise for the Hulk — he’s my favourite (anti) hero ever since I was a little girl. And I knew Mark Ruffalo would do a great job.
When his name was announced, stone cold Norton fans freaked out and said Norton was going to be missed, that everything was fine except for Ruffalo replacing Norton.
Almost every single person who’s seen the movie, mentions how great Ruffalo-Hulk was in it. I’m gloating right now.
I REALLY REALLY hope some of the material Whedon mentions, about the contrast between the modern day and WWII, is in the finished film. I realize we’re here to see superheroes punching each other, but there’s a political dynamic to Captain America in the present day that’s both fascinating and poignant, and his potential ideological clash with Iron Man could make for some great drama as well. Really, the heart of the story of Cap is “what happened to this country?” (Not necessarily in a bad way) and the way he represents the best of America is what elevates him beyond just another guy in tights. There was a hint of this in the first Cap movie, but the fact that they didn’t get into the present day much–and we’re now leaping right into a group dynamic in The Avengers–makes me worry that both the human story and the underlying ideas of the narrative could get lost.
Whedon’s a smart writer, though, so I’m still hopeful there’ll be more to it than “Everyone I ever knew is dead! Now Imonna punch some of whatever those invading things are in the trailer!”
I just want a great making of. no less than 80minutes please
Well, Carlos, you’re in luck. The movie clocks in at around 135 minutes.
I wouldn’t have worried about this movie at all had I know Joss was directing it! JOSS IS THE MAN!!! Love Buffy, Angel and Firefly!!!
Correction: Had I “known” Joss was directing it.