Based on the Marvel superhero team, directed by fanboy favourite Joss Whedon (Serenity, Firefly). This brings together the casts of Marvel's superhero movie franchises: Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).  When an enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team of the world's superheroes to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.  Based on Marvel's comic book series The Avengers, first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.