This year’s main event when it came to New York Comic-Con was definitely the much-awaited panel focusing on the upcoming Marvel release, The Avengers. Be it the fact that a brand new trailer had hit only days prior, or the fact that, you know, it’s the damn Avengers, this was the one panel the entire film world had been waiting for.

On the panel were Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and Kevin Feige, and those in attendance got some great looks at some really intriguing footage, which you can read about here below. (You can see the photos from the panel here below too.)

Ruffalo seemed the focus of a bit of this panel, ranging from discussing how he felt taking on the character and even the much talked about use of motion capture, that allows him to “play both Bruce Banner and The Hulk,” proving that he will hopefully play a huge role in the upcoming film. For all intents and purposes, his character and his use within the film is the biggest question mark here, so here’s hoping it can live up to the potential.

During the audience Q&A, questions were asked about future Marvel movies and sequels. To that, Feige mentioned that pre-production on Iron Man 3 had begun, and that will play as part of part two of “this Avengers Assemble talk, which will lead to an Avengers 2.” Color this writer excited.

Here are a few other interesting tidbits from the panel:

• Hiddleston was a popular guy during the panel, having the majority of the audience Q&A session directed toward him. The actor revealed that, following Thor, his character is “not a happy man and is confused in his place in the universe.” Those who know a bit about what this upcoming film has been hinting at following know that that means some really bad things for both The Avengers and you know, the world in general.
• Ruffalo mentioned how he chatted with Ed Norton (who played Banner in The Incredible Hulk), and that they joked that The Hulk is this generation’s Hamlet, in that every actor will get to play him. If you really get down to the character itself, and the dichotomy between Banner and Hulk it not only plays as some really interesting thematic elements, but it also makes for some showy performance pieces. Totally agree.
• Thanks to the new footage shown, we learn that Banner hasn’t had a Hulk change in over two years, telling us that The Avengers will take place somewhere in the ball park of two years post-previous Marvel films (The Incredible Hulk itself is likely the final film chronologically, but this writer can’t quite remember entirely).
• Guardians of the Galaxy won’t be introduced in any major films, but will be their own picture.
• Like the previous Marvel Studios movies, there will be something post-credits.
• Before they rolled the new footage, moderator Chris Hardwicke warned the crowd not to try to tape it, since there was heavy security around, to which Ruffalo added a well-received, “Don’t make me angry.”
• An audience member asked the cast to say “Avengers Assemble!” and they did. Watch our video of it.

Footage Description

New footage was shown that centers around Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, who is in hiding overseas (in what looks like India). He’s tricked into an ambush by Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. “For a man trying to avoid stress, you picked a hell of a place to hide,” she tells him. He assumes the place is surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, but she assures him it’s just the two of them there. Banner wonders how they found him. “We never lost you,” she replies.

S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury sent her to get Banner, because they need his help with something and he trusts Fury. “What if I say ‘no’?” he asks. “I’ll persuade you,” she responds. “What if the other guy says no?,” referring to the Hulk. “You’ve been two years without an incident, I don’t think you want to break that streak,” she says.

She goes on to explain that the Tesseract, which has the potential to “wipe out the planet,” has been taken and that the gamma signals used to track it are too weak. Since Banner is an expert in gamma radiation, that’s why they need him. Banner thinks that Fury wants him “in a cage” and starts to lose his temper and goes at her and she pulls a gun on him. He backs away as she holds the gun at him, obviously in fear of what could happen. “I’m sorry that’s mean,” Banner apologizes, trying to get her to put down the gun. As she does, she issues a command into a communicate: “Stand down.” We then see the outside of the place is actually surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. “Just you and me?,” Banner says.

The scene ends and a montage of footage from the movie is shown. We see Stark Industries with Tony Stark talking about The Avengers. This is intercut with Iron Man flying and some fighting action. Tony Stark talks to Loki, who says “I have an army.” Stark with the group, he playfully pokes Banner and says “You really do have a hold on this.” [He said some other stuff, but the crowd was screaming too loud to hear it.]

Photos

Reporting by Empress Eve; Photos by Dave3.