In 2008, audiences everywhere were thrilled by Iron Man, a smart, funny, and exciting superhero film that knew exactly what it’s audience wanted. But what really made audiences go wild was Samuel L. Jackson’s appearance in the end credits as Nick Fury, talking about the “Avenger Initiative”. Since then, Marvel has released a slew of films that all tie in to the same universe, including Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man 2. While all of those films were good, none were able to match the charisma of the first Iron Man. When The Avengers was inevitably announced, two possibilities arose: either Marvel films would return to Iron Man glory, or the steady decline of quality mixed with the excess of characters would create an absolute train wreck.
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