The Avengers (2011)

Marvel's The Avengers (titled Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland and commonly referred to as simply The Avengers) is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Written and directed by Joss Whedon, the film features an ensemble cast including Andrew Garfield, Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth, as the Avengers, alongside Tom Hiddleston, Jared Padalecki, Emma Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson. In the film, six heroes, Peter Parker, James "Logan" Howlett, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, and Thor, form a team capable of stopping Thor's brother Loki from subjugating Earth. 
The Avengers premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on April 11, 2011, and was released in the United States on May 4, as the first film in Phase One of the MCU. The film received praise for Whedon's direction and screenplay, visual effects, action sequences, acting, and musical score. It grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide, setting numerous box office records and becoming the third-highest-grossing film of all time at the time of its release and the highest-grossing film of 2011. It was the first Marvel production to generate $1 billion in ticket sales. In 2017, The Avengers was featured as one of the 100 greatest films of all time in an Empire magazine poll. It received a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 85th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades.