Marvel’s The Avengers is truly an amazing cinematic accomplishment on so many different levels. 

Not only is it a groundbreaking project in the sense that it took launching five separate successful films first (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger) in order to set it up and make it work, but it has also gone on to gross over $1.5 billion worldwide and become the third highest-grossing film of all time. As if that wasn’t enough, the film’s visual effects team has now been recognized for its outstanding work by being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. The VFX artists who are up for the award include Janek Sirrs (Batman Begins), Jeff White (Transformers: Dark on the Moon), Guy Williams (X-Men: First Class), and Dan Sudick (Cowboys & Aliens).

I recently had a chance to sit down with longtime Marvel Studios film producer Victoria Alonso, as well as VFX Supervisor and Oscar-nominee Jeff Smith to talk about their contributions to Marvel’s The Avengers and the nomination. Alonso discussed the film’s amazing accomplishments, what it took as a producer to bring it all together, and hiring director Joss Whedon to bring it all together, while White talked about Whedon’s contributions to the film, designing the Hulk, and how it feels to be nominated for an Academy Award. 

With pretty much all the Avengers of The Avengers, the future is clear.  Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America are getting sequels in Marvel's Phase Two, and characters like Black Widow are showing up in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  But what about Hulk?  Marvel finally got Bruce Banner and his smash-happy id right in last summer's superhero team-up, so where is Hulk heading in Phase Two?  And beyond that, how can we expect Banner to play into the Phase Three that Marvel is most assuredly hashing out even now?

A new rumor purports to map out the future of the cinematic Hulk, and, if true, reveals some crucially important plot points for The Avengers 2 and more.

Opening in theaters on Thursday, February 14th is the new romantic thriller from Academy Award-nominated director Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules) entitled Safe Haven, which is based on the novel of the same name by extremely popular author Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook). The film features an excellent cast that includes Josh Duhamel (Transformers: Dark of the Moon), Julianne Hough (Rock of Ages), Cobie Smulders (The Avengers), and David Lyons (TV's Revolution), as well as young actors Noah Lomax (Playing for Keeps), and Mimi Kirkland. 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had an opportunity to sit down with Cobie Smulders to talk about her work on Safe Haven, as well as reprising her role as Maria Hill in the upcoming sequel Captain America: The Winter Soldier and possibly The Avengers spin-off TV series S.H.I.E.L.D. The popular actress discussed her new movie, collaborating with legendary director Lasse Hallstrom, preparing for her complicated role, working with actress Julianne Hough, reprising the role of Maria Hill in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when she begins shooting, the secrecy behind Marvel's movies, watermarked scripts, playing a character in multiple franchises, and why her commitments to How I Met Your Mother wouldn't stop her from possibly appearing in the proposed S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series. 

This is, for the time being, an unconfirmed rumor, but if it turns out to be true, it constitutes a substantial Iron Man 3 spoiler. 

So if you want to remain pure until your butt is in the seat for Tony Stark's next adventure this May, stop reading now.  We're serious, it's potential spoiler territory from here on out. 

You've been warned.  Repeatedly.

No less a source than Cobie Smulders – S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill – is sharing some inside information on next year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the possibility that we'll see the character in action on the S.H.I.E.L.D. television series.

The dirty work of getting The Avengers together across six movies constituted Phase One of the Marvel Studios master plan.  Iron Man 3 kicks off Phase Two this May. 

As excited as we all about that, it seems it's time look to the horizon, past The Avengers 2 to the distant Phase Three, which Marvel Studios honcho Kevin Feige says kicks off with Ant-Man and will definitely include the phantasmagoric delights of the Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange.

Bad news, everybody: Cap's dance date has finally cancelled.

In next year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Hayley Atwell will not reprise her Captain America: The First Avenger role as Peggy Carter.

The SHIELD ABC television series just added a sixth regular castmember, rounding out the principle ensemble with Chloe Bennet, a familiar face from fellow ABC show Nashville.

Remember the ten-disc Blu-ray set collecting Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Avengers?  The one that was supposed to be part of this holiday buying frenzy before a lawsuit delayed the September street date?  Yeah, that one.  It's now set for April, and will be accompanied by Marvel Studios' "Phase Two," along with previously unseen special features.

ABC's SHIELD pilot almost certainly won't feature any of the heavy-hitting Avengers jetting around in their bright costumes, but it will follow a group of Whedonesque agents of the premiere espionage and peacekeeping agency in Marvel's cinematic universe.  And with the addition of two new actors to the ensemble cast, almost all the major roles have been filled.