Just because the fate of the world hangs in the balance does not mean you cannot have a few laughs along the way. Filmmaking is by its very nature a challenging, arduous process, but if the gag reel for Avenger: Age of Ultron is any indication, the cast and crew had an amazing time making the film. Check the video out below:
Opening with Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers long-pausing on his famous "Avengers Assemble" line, and then cracking a smile – a rare sight considering everything he has on his plate – the featurette goes on to chronicle the various minor mistakes that go along with making any film. Everyone, ranging from major players like Robert Downey Jr. to relatively minor ones like Stellan Sarsgaard gets a moment; as Age of Ultron is a film packed to the brim with exposition and copious amounts of techno-babble, the actors often find themselves stumbling over their words, attempting to sounds like the brilliant scientific geniuses that we have come to know and love so much.
Perhaps the absolute best moment of the entire affair comes at the very end: when Samuel L. Jackson drops his Nick Fury character and says, "don’t be goin’ all stealth mode motherfucker, we can’t see you." The man is nothing if not proud of his authentic personality, we will give him that.
Gag reels in general are nothing new for Marvel. They have appeared in numerous films for the superhero studio, such as The Avengers and Iron Man 3. As these films all have an inherent tendency towards strong comedic elements, gag reels often feel completely at home in the special features sections of their home release. Perhaps one of the reasons these gag reels are so endlessly enjoyable to watch is because it reminds audiences of the genuine rapport that these actors have with one another, and the way that rapport translates so seamlessly to their onscreen personas and relationships with one another.
That being said, watching a gag reel for this particular Marvel film is an interesting experience. While not entirely devoid of laughs – this is a Joss Whedon affair after all – Avengers: Age of Ultron possessed a decidedly more serious tone than its predecessor. Thematically, that makes sense, as events in Age of Ultron act as a catalyst, showing the cracks in the titular team that will inevitably lead to the events of Captain America: Civil War in Marvel’s Phase 3. However, its nice to know that underneath the somber tone, those involved in creating the sweeping superhero epic had a fun time along the way.
Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released in digital HD on September 8, and Blu-Ray on October 2; we will finally see the team fracture and go head to head when Captain America: Civil War hits theaters on May 6 of next year.
