It’s official – the first Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer has been officially released… a good week before it was supposed to debut with Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But how did it end up online early? That’s all down to some unofficial leaks…
After the trailer was officially announced, it looks as though some folks wanted the world to see what Marvel has in store sooner rather than later. And after a bunch of low-res images began to do the rounds on fan sites, it wasn’t long before an unofficial version of the video crept out of the woodwork.
Thankfully, Marvel seems to have taken this setback in its stride… and rather than riding out the storm, have decided to release the video early.
Dammit, Hydra.
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 22, 2014
But what do we make of this impressive first look? Here are a few things we learned…
Hulkbuster Armour
It looks as though Tony Stark will be forced to battle his friend and fellow science bro… and that means busting out his infamous Hulkbuster suit. It’s been rumoured for some time and it even showed up in some impressive concept art. But now we’ve got our first glimpse at Iron Man’s new suit. And I have to admit, I love it.
Judging from the short scenes of Bruce Banner wandering alone in the woods, it looks as though he’s forced to face his demons. But can Tony Stark help him? Or will he be forced to bring him down?
First glimpse of Ultron
That’s right – our titular robotic foe makes a rather eerie appearance… and while he’s looking pretty unstoppable by the end of the trailer, it’s his shuffling, maniacal rise that really made me sit up and take notice. Crushing the skull of one of Tony’s Iron Man suits, it looks as though the aforementioned villainous droid has some daddy issues. And with references to Pinocchio throughout, it looks as though Ultron may be yearning to become a real boy.
Of course, the only way he can come close is by breaking free of his master. “There are no strings on me,” he proclaims in a sinister voice. Either way, it seems he wants to destroy the entire human race… but can the Avengers stop him?
Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch
It’s a fleeting glimpse of these new super-villains (who will presumably eventually turn into superheroes). But it’s certainly enough to grab my interest. Scarlet Witch is looking better than ever, and with her more urban look it’s a costume decision that really works on the big screen. But what about Quicksilver? So far, we’re yet to really see the extent of his powers, but after an impressive appearance for the character in X-Men: Days of Future Past I’m a little underwhelmed. Hopefully we’ll get to see some more of this guy in the coming months. But so far, I can’t help thinking he isn’t quite up to scratch.
Darker, grittier tone
It’s rather obvious from this first trailer that ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ is a much harsher affair… certainly a lot heavier than its predecessor. In fact, the entire tone seems to have shifted to Dark Knight levels of seriousness. And perhaps that’s a good thing – especially after the success of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Of course, this is just the first trailer, and there could be room for some standard Tony Stark glib remarks in the first half of the movie… but I can’t help thinking that Marvel has decided to move away from that. For one thing, they’re constantly shifting the tone and style of their movies, and with the Avengers looking like they’re on the brink of destruction, perhaps the time for jokes has passed.
Avengers Disassembled?
One of the more troubling aspects of this first trailer is the running theme of the Avengers being torn and scattered… and its none more obvious than when Thor’s might hammer drops to the ground. There’s also the rather disturbing image of Captain America’s cracked shield just lying on the ground at the very end. Have the Avengers finally met their match?
Let’s just hope there’s some more vibranium around to patch up Cap’s shield.
All in all, it’s a rather impressive first look at Avengers: Age of Ultron. And with around six months left until the film’s released, I get the feeling we can look forward to a lot more where that came from.
‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ heads to cinemas on 24 April 2015.
