EW Goes Behind The Scenes of ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ Post Credits Scene

If you haven’t seen Marvel’s The Avengers there would be spoilers ahead.

If you saw Marvel’s The Avengers this past weekend (and numbers would seem to indicate that you all did) then you know that in addition to the mid-credits reveal of Thanos, there was a post credit scene the likes of which we haven’t seen yet in a Marvel Studios film. It wasn’t a set up for some future plot point or film. It wasn’t an easter egg or character reveal. It was simply the punchline to a joke set up earlier in the film.

Entertainment Weekly, which has had singular access to director Joss Whedon and the cast, gives us the full story of how that scene came about.

Mmm... shawarma

There are a bunch of fun little tidbits in the story, like:

  • The whole scene happened because Robert Downey Jr. didn’t like a line of dialogue and it ended up getting changed to Tony babbling about wanting to try the local shawarma joint.
  • Robert Downey Jr. did indeed blow the secret of shooting the new scene at the world premiere.
  • The reason why Cap is slumped over and holding his face is because Chris Evans had grown a beard for another role and they had to hide it.
  • They did multiple takes and, because the scene went on so long, Chris Hemsworth ate an entire schwarma each time and felt sick afterward.

I loved this post-credit scene for a few reasons. Number one, I loved that it was the payoff to a joke made during the movie. Number two, I loved that the scene went on so long. When I finally saw the scene (it wasn’t in the press screening I attended), the audience first laughed and then stopped laughing, and then as the scene just kept on going, they really started laughing. Great stuff.

Comments

  1. Awesome scene. Classic Whedon.

  2. Best scene in the entire movie!! I just really enjoy the fact that you really never see your super heroes eat or anything non-seuper heroic right? So bam, here they are eating and just relaxing.

    K

    • the best scene in the whole movie was them eating lunch during the post credits easter egg? did you even watch this movie:?

    • Yes I did watch the movie (overly sarcastic, nagging voice with sour face)!! Does everything have to come under fire here? Really if that was my favorite scene, then so be it. Does it really matter to you that much? I am sorry if have offended you but……. yes that was my favorite scene. Call me crazy call me what you will I liked it and thats just the way I am. I also liked other parts in the movie ie..Hulk punching Thor, Scarlett as Black Window thru the whole movie even when she is just standing there and Tony Stark just being Tony. All in all just a great movie and I had my fun and enjoyed it my way.

      K

  3. We call it a Kebab over here in blighty!

  4. I was so sad when this wasn’t discussed on the Avengers podcast, but I know you guys tape these in advance and probably hadn’t seen it yet. *sigh* But yes, I want a DVD extra version of the schwarma scene that’s even longer.

  5. I heard Hemsworth ate so much each take that he was about to make himself sick… he was chowing down quite a bit in the final scene.

    I couldn’t tell, but I read Ruffalo looks like he’s about to laugh in the scene… I’ll have to take a look again.

    The crowd reaction went the same way both times I saw this weekend… laughter to silence to laughter again.

  6. “They did multiple takes and, because the scene went on so long, Chris Hemsworth ate an entire schwarma each time.”
    That’s awesome.
    Also, Shawarmas in New York look far different than they do here. We use pitas to wrap the shawarmas instead of bread pockets like in that picture, but as long as they have the same delicious garlic sauce, then no complaints 🙂

    • I’m pretty sure most places in NYC use pitas too, I just grabbed the most inviting looking picture I could find.

    • interesting. I’ve eaten shawarma’s all over the Europe and almost every time it’s always been something different. In Amsterdam it was just a cone with shaved lamb with red and white sauce, in England it looked more like the picture above but the strangest of all was in Nice, France where they served it in a baguette with French Fries on top.

    • @cskilpatrick I’m from Philly and going to NYC the 15th where is the best place to get Shawarma?

  7. It wasn’t shown in the U.K me and my friend were the only ones waiting until all the credits went by, then nothing!

  8. So this Schawrma is actually a Gyro? Or is it nothing like a Gyro and something all together different?? I looked it up and it sounds a little different??

    K

    • It’s basically the same as a gyro. It’s just the Turkish version.

    • It’s a bit different here in metro Detroit. We have a huge population of people of middle eastern descent (predominantly from Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, so that might explain the variation) and tons of great Middle Eastern or “Mediterranean” restaurants.

      Most shawarma I enjoy is spiced roasted chicken or beef served on a plate with rice and/or hummous. Pita bread and garlic sauce (more like garlic paste) are also served.

      I usually mix the chicken with the rice and/or hummous, add a little bit of garlic sauce (a little goes a long way), and then tear the pita bread into dollar-sized bits to scoop up and eat all the good stuff!

      The shawarma “sandwiches” I’ve seen around here contain all the above stuff, but are delivered in a form more like a pita-burrito.

      DINNER TIME!!

  9. Was this post created by the EW article and the frustrating desire to get lunch, Connor? Because I know I could use a good Schawrma/Gyro/Kebab with a nice little serving of baklava right now.

  10. Was I the only one who left the theater dying to try Shawarma?

  11. Ok I want to try this Shawarma!! Where can I get one around the Plainfield/Joliet Illinois area?? Hopefully a good one, I know where I can get plenty of Gyros however; I have seen nothing like that around here. I originally group up on the south side of Chicago and I know for a fact I probably could find one down there some where. I am really intrested in trying this Shawarma especially after seeing them eat it and now I am hungry so that ain’t helping me none!!
    If anyone has any ideas on where in my area I can apprehend one of these fine critters please let me know.

    Thanks,

    K

    • Yelp says your best bet is Naf Naf Grill and there’s one in Aurora or Naperville. Is that too far to go?

      Yes, I’m that bored right now and looking up food RIGHT before lunch is killing me.

  12. I had to tell people both times I saw it to wait. After Thanos turns around most of the audience left.

    • I only got a few people to stick around when I told them there was another scene coming. Most people looked at me like I was insane.

    • I wish there were good people like you in my theatre to tell me to stay. Sigh, guess I’ll have to wait for the Blu-Ray.

  13. Is it really that believable that a New Yorker like Tony Stark would actually not know what Shwarma is ? They have Shwarma places all over the place here in Toronto, everyone in Canada knows what it is I’ll wager.

  14. Truly one of the most glorious post credits scenes of all time. I’m also partial to Anchorman’s.

  15. Maybe Cap needs ear cups, Can;t make out what it is about the head gear, i figure it’s the absence of ears that make it strange but i understand why they can’t do that. but maybe the sort of mini dome ear cups, just to break it up. I am sure there is nothing i can think of they haven\t tried. Maybe make his neck a bit thicker as the helmet pads it out. The rest of the suit seems pretty cool though. Can’t wait to see this film, it really is a massive thing that it is made and made well. I am 40 and lived though all the bad attempts a these movies. The Avengers, i sort of still can’t believe it. Fancy a Kebab now.

    • I think some wings coming out of the helmet would help the look, still looks pretty good. Then again I’m used to watching those super sentai rangers.

  16. Lol love it

  17. Loved the scene for so many reasons. It was a great end, classic Whedon, and a great play on one of Tony Stark’s final lines in the movie.

  18. I love that Bruce starts nodding a little bit and Tony looks at him almost as if to say “good, right?”

  19. I want a t-shirt that says, “Captain America Saved My Life!” As for schwarma, would Chris Evans eat that stuff? I read that he was a vegetarian.

  20. Didn’t get to see this scene in Oz – will it be included on a later release? On the bluray? If it isn’t ,Disney, I will send the Hulk to your next board meeting…..

  21. i figured the scene was written by bendis.

  22. I just love the joke for two reasons:

    1) This is the super secret final scene filmed during release. I have no idea why Whedon wanted to do it but it’s a great way to cap off a fantastic movie.

    2) Mark Ruffalo could not hold his shit together.

  23. I’m hungry.

  24. “Wow, man, I sure am glad we waited for that. Yee-hah.” -my wife, who desperately needed to use the restroom, upon seeing the end of this scene

  25. damn i missed that! thanos and i was out!

  26. This scene was excellent at the end as a reflection of how the Avengers and the audience felt after all that, like what else do you want, we’re exhausted in a good way and top that!

  27. I couldn’t have been more disappointed. Sitting through ten minutes of credits to watch the characters eat.

  28. I loved it for 3 reasons.

    A) It’s a callback, as mentioned.

    B) I can’t help but watch it as a dig/shout-out to Bendis. Avengers sitting around eating.

    C) It’s a great gag on the people who’ve watched all these movies, and been trained to watch all the credits in case anything amazing happens, and our ultimate reward is the dumbest thing imaginable.

  29. Kinda annoyed it’s not on our versions. Guess I’ll just have to wait until Blu-ray 🙁