Overview Characters Weapons & Gear Media Collectibles Places & Experiences

The Avengers

Marvel's The Avengers

Earth's Mightiest Heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

Official Website

From Screen to Real Life Highlights

Quick links to the newest releases, collectibles, official shops, real-world locations, and immersive experiences for this franchise.

WATCH

Latest Release

Explore the newest The Avengers movies, books, games and releases.

Latest ReleaseIron ManCaptain AmericaThor

Explore Media & Works

COLLECT

Figures & Collectibles

From detailed The Avengers character figures to premium statues, plushies and limited-edition goods.

FiguresStatuesPlushiesLimited EditionsApparel

Explore Collectibles

SHOP

Official Shops & Pop-Ups

Find The Avengers official merchandise, limited collections and pop-up stores from authorized retailers.

Official Online StoreLimited Editions

Find Shops

Jump to:Story·Impact·Characters·FAQ

IP Overview & Key Facts

IP Key Facts

Essential information and quick stats.

Full Name

Marvel's The Avengers

Also Known As

Avengers Assemble, Marvel's Avengers

Format

Movie

Release Year

2012

Current Status

Released

Country of Origin

United States

Creator

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby (original comic)

Original Work

movie

Genre

superhero, action, marvel, team, sci-fi

Where to Start & Recommended Order

A beginner-friendly guide for starting Marvel's The Avengers without spoilers.

Best starting point

Best starting point (first-time viewers): Iron Man (2008).

It is the MCU's official launch title and the cleanest on-ramp to the Avengers Initiative, Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the shared post-credits continuity.

If you only care about The Avengers roster and want a shorter on-ramp, begin with the six origin-phase films that lead directly into Marvel's The Avengers / The Avengers (2012): Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and then the 2012 team-up.

Avoid chronological order on a first watch – it breaks how each crossover reveal was originally paced.

Recommended order

Two recommended paths for The Avengers (Infinity Saga / Phases 1–3):

Option A – Release Order (recommended for first watch):

1.Iron Man (2008) → Iron Man 2 (2010)

2.Thor (2011) → Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

3.Marvel's The Avengers (2012) – 1st team-up, Battle of New York

4.Thor: The Dark World → Captain America: The Winter Soldier → Guardians of the Galaxy → Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – Ultron & Vision debut; Sokovia destroyed

5.Captain America: Civil War (2016) – Team Iron Man vs Team Cap; Spider-Man & Black Panther join; Avengers split

6.Doctor Strange → Thor: Ragnarok → Black Panther

7.Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Thanos collects all 6 Infinity Stones; the Snap / Decimation; Loki, Gamora, Vision killed

8.Ant-Man and the Wasp → Captain Marvel → Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Time Heist; Blip reversed; Tony Stark & Natasha Romanoff sacrifice themselves; Steve Rogers passes the shield

Option B – In-Universe Chronological Order (rewatches only):

Start with Captain America: The First Avenger (1942–1945), then Captain Marvel (1995), then Iron Man (2008), and continue by the in-movie year markers listed on Disney+.

Disney+ series (after Endgame):

•WandaVision (ties to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) → Loki (introduces the Multiverse, TVA, He Who Remains variants) → The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Sam Wilson becomes new Captain America) → Hawkeye (Clint Barton passes the bow to Kate Bishop; Yelena Belova returns seeking Black Widow's death truth).

Fast-track option

If you only want the Avengers-critical story (shortest path to the 4 team-up films):

1.Iron Man (2008) – post-credits: Nick Fury tells Tony Stark about the Avengers Initiative

2.Captain America: The First Avenger – Tesseract / Space Stone origin; Bucky Barnes' apparent death

3.Thor (2011) – Loki sent to Earth with the Tesseract, directly setting up the first team-up

4.Marvel's The Avengers (2012) – 6 Original Avengers assemble in the Battle of New York

5.Captain America: The Winter Soldier – HYDRA infiltrates S.H.I.E.L.D.; S.H.I.E.L.D. falls; Fury fakes his death

6.Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – Ultron Crisis; Mind Stone creates Vision; Sokovia is destroyed, triggering the Accords; Hawkeye family reveal

7.Captain America: Civil War (2016) – Sokovia Accords fracture the team; Team Iron Man vs Team Cap at Leipzig/Halle Airport

8.Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – Mjolnir destroyed; Asgard falls to Surtur; post-credits Thanos intercepts their ship (direct lead-in to Infinity War)

9.Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Thanos collects all 6 Infinity Stones; Snap / Decimation kills 50% of all life

10.Avengers: Endgame (2019) – 5-year time jump; Time Heist; Blip reversed; Tony & Natasha sacrifices; old Steve passes the Captain America shield to Sam Wilson.

Treat Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, and the Spider-Man films as optional detours until after you finish the four core team-up crossovers.

Story, World & Core Themes

Explore the narrative, setting, and ideas that shape The Avengers.

Story

High-level synopsis and narrative focus.

In 2012, when Thor's adopted brother Loki arrives on Earth through the Tesseract (the Space Stone) and opens a Chitauri wormhole over Manhattan, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury finally activates the l...

World

Setting, cultures, and distinctive elements.

The Avengers Saga is defined by three cosmological truths that all readers/viewers should grasp:1.The Six Infinity Stones – forged at the Big Bang, one for each fundamental force of the universe:•Spac...

Themes

Core ideas and recurring motifs.

The Avengers are not friends when they first assemble. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers share every ideological fault-line you can name – rich vs poor, futurist vs patriot, control vs liberty, cynic vs sol...

Cultural Impact Timeline

High-level milestones showing The Avengers's global influence.

1963

The Avengers comic book debuts by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

2008

Iron Man is released, launching the MCU and teasing the Avengers Initiative

2012

The Avengers movie is released, becoming the third highest-grossing film at the time

2019

Avengers: Endgame concludes the Infinity Saga as the highest-grossing film temporarily

Key Characters

Meet representative characters from The Avengers.

Iron Man

Anthony Edward 'Tony' Stark is a genius-level inventor and billionaire industrialist who builds a powered suit of armor to save his own life and later becomes the superhero Iron Man.View Profile

Captain America

“I can do this all day.”

Steven Grant 'Steve' Rogers was a frail, sickly art student from Brooklyn who volunteered for the U.S.View Profile

Thor

“I am Thor, Son of Odin.”

Thor Odinson is the Asgardian God of Thunder, the former Crown Prince and later King of the Nine Realms, the rightful wielder of Mjolnir and Stormbreaker, and the mightiest warrior among the Avengers.View Profile

Hulk

“Hulk SMASH!”

Dr.View Profile

Explore all The Avengers characters

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the original six Avengers?

▼

The original team consists of Iron Man (Tony Stark), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Thor, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), and Hawkeye (Clint Barton).

Who is the main villain in The Avengers?

▼

Loki, Thor's adopted brother, is the primary antagonist, allied with the Chitauri alien race.

What is the Tesseract?

▼

The Tesseract is a cube containing the Space Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones, capable of opening portals across the universe.

Who brought the Avengers together?

▼

Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., initiated the 'Avengers Initiative' to recruit the heroes.

What is the famous line Captain America says to Hulk?

▼

Captain America commands, 'Hulk, smash!'

Where does the final battle take place?

▼

The Battle of New York takes place in midtown Manhattan, centered around Stark Tower.

Does Phil Coulson die in the movie?

▼

Yes, Agent Phil Coulson is killed by Loki, which serves as the catalyst to unite the Avengers (though he was later revived in the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).