The Avengers is a movie.
The Avengers (2012 film) . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The Avengers grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide , and became the third-highest-grossing film during its theatrical run -- as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales .