The Avengers is an upcoming American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures1, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast, which includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, and Samuel L. Jackson. In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America to save the world from destruction.

Earlier today, we saw photographic portraits – or were they headshots? – of each of The Avengers, as well as official set photos of Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow interacting.

Now, character descriptions have been released of each of The Avengers from their respective actors – Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner.

On his first meeting with Joss Whedon and the role Iron Man plays in the film, Robert Downey Jr. said:

“Well, I [told Whedon], ‘I need to be in the opening sequence. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but Tony needs to drive this thing.’ He was like, ‘Okay, let’s try that.’ We tried it and it didn’t work, because this is a different sort of thing, the story and the idea and the theme is the theme, and everybody is just an arm of the octopus. But what was I like? As usual, just ****ing aggressive and hurtful. Whatever. The usual.”

On the darker, more cynical version of Captain America in The Avengers, Chris Evans said:

“It’s just about him trying to come to terms with the modern world. You’ve got to imagine, it’s enough of a shock to accept the fact that you’re in a completely different time, but everybody you know is dead. Everybody you cared about. He was a soldier, obviously, everybody he went to battle with, all of his brothers in arms, they’re all dead. He’s just lonely. I think in the beginning it’s a fish out of water scene, and it’s tough. It’s a tough pill for him to swallow. Then comes trying to find a balance with the modern world.”

On Thor’s continued conflicted battle with his adoptive brother, Loki, Chris Hemsworth said:

“I think [Thor's] motivation is much more of a personal one, in the sense that it’s his brother that is stirring things up. Whereas everyone else, it’s some bad guy who they’ve gotta take down. It’s a different approach for me, or for Thor. He’s constantly having to battle the greater good and what he should do versus … it’s his little brother there. I’ve been frustrated with my brothers at times, or family, but I’m the only one who is allowed to be angry at them. There’s a bit of that.”

On Bruce Banner’s relationship with Tony Stark, Mark Ruffalo said:

“He’s the most – guy, but a total loose cannon. No one wants to set him off except for Iron Man, except for Downey, who just wants to see him pop. It’s funny, there’s a really cool dynamic between Tony Stark and Banner. Banner actually enjoys it, and finds it really refreshing. They’re a lot alike in a strange way. They’re both these kind of scientists who are mavericks, kind of renegades. Banner, for all his mild-mannered mythology, he’s still the dude who was testing some pretty crazy s–t on himself, so he has that rebel streak in him.”

On Black Widow’s lack of super powers, Scarlett Johansson said:

“The other day we were doing this big reveal shot of all the Avengers. Thor has got his hammer, Cap’s got his shield, Hawkeye has his bow and arrow, and Hulk is huge. Then it pans over to me and I’ve got guns. Iron Man’s like, hovering above all of us, ready to go.  I was like, ‘Joss… um… do I look okay holding these guns?’ And he said ‘She’s a total badass. She’s a killing machine.’”

On Hawkeye’s lack of super powers, Jeremy Renner said:

“The only sort of thing I cling to is the relationship of past experiences with Scarlett’s character, with them both being human. I can cling to that. [But he’s not insecure about not having super powers.] Quite the opposite. He’s the only one who can really take down The Hulk with his tranq tip arrows. He knows his limitations, but when it comes down to it, there has to be a sense of confidence in any superhero.”

With comic book movie casting news coming at us from every angle recently, today we finally hear from an old-friend you may have heard of: The Avengers. A HitFix report is claiming that, perhaps in spite of his best hopes, Edward Norton will not be reprising his role as “The Hulk” in Marvel Studios’ future blockbuster. It seems as if Marvel and Norton did not initially see eye-to-eye in terms of what the actor would make for his contributions. As such, the comic juggernauts now seem to be looking to cast the wardrobe-ripping member of the Avengers with someone more affordable.

The first is money. Marvel has been notoriously stingy when it comes to paying their cast and crew, so it’s possible that they simply weren’t willing to offer a high enough amount to cover Norton’s salary. The Incredible Hulk wasn’t exactly a huge moneymaker; it makes sense that they wouldn’t want to shell out several millions of dollars for a character that audiences weren’t terribly interested in watching to begin with. Add to that, Norton’s screen time in The Avengers would be limited—not just because the film is an ensemble piece, but because his character is largely created through CGI.