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The Avengers

The Avengers

Some assembly required.

2012143 minPG-13Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Director
Joss Whedon
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth

When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Avengers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Avengers streaming on Disney+ and Hulu and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Avengers?

The Avengers earns 11 badges, led by Top 1% in Action and Modern classic.

Show 3 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Avengers worth watching?

The Avengers' Midcredits score is the 98th percentile of all films, from 4.7M ratings across 6 sources. 88% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

98th percentile

Better received than 98% of films

99th percentile among Action98th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)96th
Approval (how many liked it)97th

79 /100

96th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2010s

Critics 69 · Audience 79

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

88% liked it

97th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2010s
88% rated it 7–1012% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 91%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 28 wins / 69 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Visual Effects
  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Special Visual Effects

99th percentile

4.7M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$220M
Opening weekend$207M
Domestic gross$623M
Worldwide gross$1.5B

Returned 6.9× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Fans and detractors agree this is a big, action-packed, visual-effects-driven superhero spectacle that prioritizes fun, comic-book entertainment over narrative depth.

Fans praised

  • Brings the disparate Marvel heroes together with sharp chemistry
  • Highly entertaining and funny, with a standout villain performance
  • Spectacular, well-coordinated action sequences and visual effects

Detractors panned

  • Formulaic and predictable plot with cardboard characters
  • Overhyped, lacking dramatic depth and real emotional weight
  • Focuses on spectacle over story, with plot holes and a weak villain

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive82

Thrilling, well-coordinated action sequences with awesome, realistic visual effects and 3D popping

EndingDivisive80

Satisfying payoff of years of buildup, delivering on the promise of bringing heroes together in a grand finale

ActingDivisive77

Cast chemistry and standout performances, especially Hiddleston's Loki and Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, even if some find it merely serviceable

HumorDivisive75

Highly funny with plenty of laughs, largely thanks to Downey Jr.'s wit and banter

CharactersDivisive70

Each hero gets moments to shine and feels well-introduced, though detractors call them cardboard and one-dimensional

DialogueDivisive70

Witty, funny banter, especially from Downey Jr., though some find it too jokey or forced

Plot and storyDivisive45

Simple, predictable, and formulaic story that works as a framing device, but lacks depth, logic, and dramatic heft

OriginalityDivisive45

Seen as a typical superhero movie that follows the formula, though unique in bringing multiple characters together

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Avengers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you fired up.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseHopefulJoyful
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its superhero premise straight with earnest emotion and wit, balancing spectacle with character-driven humour.
The rideThe mood builds through character conflict and a mid-film attack on the helicarrier (the tense peak), then shifts to a thrilling major battle and a hopeful resolution.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional chronological order: setup of the threat, team assembly, conflict, and climactic battle.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers inspired by teamwork and exhilarated by the spectacle, with a sense of triumphant fun.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterInvasion
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% (this title) · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Invasion: An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeLoki leads an alien invasion of Earth; the Avengers must unite to defeat him and his Chitauri army.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Community · 14% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe story is about a group of disparate heroes learning to trust each other and work as a team against an external threat and internal deception.
StanceThe film celebrates the idea that teamwork and trust can overcome both external invasion and internal doubt, with the ensemble's unity as the central value.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalWildernessScience fiction
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Alan Silvestri
SettingS.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Stuttgart, and New York City during an alien invasion
MusicThe main theme is a bold, heroic brass motif that underscores the team's assembling and the final battle.

Content guide

Is The Avengers okay for kids?

PG-13

The Avengers is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at mild (16/100), language at mild (34/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at moderate (46/100). Overall it is heavier than 45% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 35 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Belgium12
  • BGC
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceΚ-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • ID13+
  • ItalyT
  • LV12+
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • QAQatar Cinemas
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • SK12
  • South Africa10
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
  • Taiwan保護級
  • THPG-13
  • Türkiye6+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 29% of all filmsHeavier than 45% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 21%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 30%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 37%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 52%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 68% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Avengers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Avengers?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Robert Downey Jr.
as Tony Stark
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Chris Evans
as Steve Rogers
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Ruffalo
as Bruce Banner
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Chris Hemsworth
as Thor
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Scarlett Johansson
as Natasha Romanoff
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Jeremy Renner
as Clint Barton
Tom Hiddleston
as Loki
Clark Gregg
as Agent Phil Coulson
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Cobie Smulders
as Agent Maria Hill
Stellan Skarsgård
as Selvig
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.

Crew

Directed by

Joss Whedon

Written by

Joss Whedon

Cinematography

Seamus McGarvey

Edited by

Jeffrey FordLisa Lassek

Music by

Alan Silvestri

Produced by

Kevin Feige

More like this

What are movies like The Avengers?

Movies like The Avengers include Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Iron Man (2008) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Joss Whedon, and all are superhero films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: New York. Those cards say what else they share.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with The Avengers?

552 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: supervillain. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.