The Avengers Downey, Evans, Hemsworth on camarederie working together towards Avengers

[Jordanstine]

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2011-08-10-the-avengers_n.htm

USA Today: Downey, Evans, Hemsworth on their support and camarederie for each other's solo films that will lead up to the Avengers

You know you've made it in Hollywood when your box office updates are sent to you by the Norse God of Thunder.

Such was the case for Chris Evans as he sweated through the July 22 opening weekend of his action caper Captain America. Evans did his best not to focus on the rolling numbers, but fellow Marvel comic star Chris Hemsworth (or Thor to his friends) kept him in the loop on how his movie was faring against the formidable box office powers of Harry Potter.

"I shot him a few texts over opening weekend," Hemsworth says with a laugh. "It was like: 'You beat The Wizard! Down with Potter!'"

Captain America: The First Avenger won the race against Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 ($65 million vs. $48 million in Potter's second weekend of release), But Hemsworth's box-office interest wasn't purely concern for a friend.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans) are teaming up, along with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) for The Avengers. So Captain America's success is a solid sign that The Avengers franchise is continuing to build steam heading for its May 2012 release.

It also ensures that the closest Captain box-office watchers, and supporters, are the A-list stars on the set of the forthcoming action movie.

"With Captain America working it's like, 'OK good,''' says Hemsworth. "We're still on track with this ensemble. It gives each of us a bump."

Actually, it was Hemsworth's Thor, which opened in May, that signaled the first solid sign of good news for the burgeoning franchise, breaking out with $65 million in its opening weekend. Downey Jr. points out that a lot of his Avengers "anxiety" was put aside as he watched Hemsworth "hold his own with all of these summer releases."

Rooting for others' ticket takes is rare in competitive Hollywood.

"I'll just say it," says Downey Jr., who scored with 2008's Iron Man and 2010's Iron Man 2. "There's an aspect of my psyche that doesn't want anyone to do as well as me…it's part of human nature, survival of the fittest and all that.

"But it's so nice to root for each other in Hollywood," he adds. "Intentionally or not, Marvel has created an atmosphere of camaraderie. It's a team really."

For Evans, his movie's success was clearly a relief.

"Once it does well, you can just let it go," he says, adding that the only way he celebrated the robust numbers was "by not thinking about it."

Now he can focus on filming the group Avengers installment with his castmates of super-heroes. Marvel production president Kevin Feige points out that the box-office bonding is an important part of the team meshing as the group moves production from Albuquerque, N.M., to Cleveland.

"It's all very, very supportive," he says. "These guys are all in this together."

Now THAT'S a TEAM.

 

[Dark Raven]

Good to hear. I wonder how the others like Mark Ruffalo feel. And what if one of them (eg Evans or Hemsworth) didn't do so well or not well at all? How would they feel going into the Avengers? I imagine it would be a bit like if you and your friends have all booked a vacation after exams, and everyone else has passed and you're the only one who either has failed or hasn't done so well.

 

[Raiden]

I'm really glad to see these actors rooting for each other, and I think having solo movies do well will not only boost the marketability of the Avengers, it will also help each superhero to establish their own credibility before joining together in next year's crossover movie. This is something that JLA, if WB does indeed greenlight but will have no association with other DC superhero movies, will never enjoy.

 

[Vartha]

Yeah, if the prime actors don't back each other I think it'd show in the film as well. I'm really glad they all get along really.

 

[steintym]

Awesome stuff - Glad to hear they're all pulling for each other. It only helps everyone if all of these movies do well.

 

[Spider-Vader]

This puts a smile on my face. It's really awesome to know that they're friends in real life & are working together nicely.

 

[Iron_Stark]

Glad to see there's news about the priciples getting along before some dumbass rumors about them not pop up like the Hopkins/Helmsworth or Paltrow/ScarJo rumors.

 

[Hypestyle]

i hope that footage for a sequel is shot concurrently..

 

[4jsis4]

I hope that this feeling that "Marvel has created an atmosphere of camaraderie", is presented in the movie. It would be nice to see them so close.

 

[jpbijos]

perfect bonding with the actors, means that the heroes will work great on screen!!

 

[sgaana]

"I shot him a few texts over opening weekend," Hemsworth says with a laugh. "It was like: 'You beat The Wizard! Down with Potter!'"

This cracked me up. He sounds just like a bunch of folks hanging out here in one of the Box Office threads.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Great interview. They seem to be good friends!

 

[Pinky021]

Great to hear that!,

 

[The Caped Knight]

that's awesome that they each have each others back. I really can't wait to see them together on screen next summer .

 

[Tony Stark]

I'm kinda glad now that Norton will not be in the film, because I think he would want more of a focus on him as an established actor, and what the fans want to see is Steve, Tony and Thor, the "trinity" of the Avengers.

I don't want to offend Hulk fans (heck I'm one of you), but while it is important for the Hulk to be apart of Avengers, the heart of Avengers is Tony, Steve and Thor, just like Kirk, Spock and Bones.

 

[Dark Raven]

I'm kinda glad now that Norton will not be in the film, because I think he would want more of a focus on him as an established actor, and what the fans want to see is Steve, Tony and Thor, the "trinity" of the Avengers.

I don't want to offend Hulk fans (heck I'm one of you), but while it is important for the Hulk to be apart of Avengers, the heart of Avengers is Tony, Steve and Thor, just like Kirk, Spock and Bones.

Exactly. Hulk has never been one of the big guns of the Avengers, no matter what people may argue. The classic three have always been Iron Man, Cap and Thor, with the next few classic members being Wasp, Ant-Man/Giant Man, Hawkeye, Vision and Scarlet Witch. After that it would probably be Black Panther and Wonder Man, followed by the likes of Ms Marvel, She-Hulk and Black Widow.

Hulk in the comics has traditionally been more of a Defender than an Avenger, only having been with the Avengers in a handful of issues.