Oscars 2019: Organizers Reportedly Trying To Reunite The Avengers Cast
The Avengers just might reassemble at the 2019 Oscars.
A report by The Hollywood Reporter claims that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the producers of the 91st Academy Awards ceremony are "scrambling" to reunite the cast of Marvel's Avengers franchise for the upcoming event.
According to the outlet, the organizers (which include producer Donna Gigliotti and director and co-producer Glenn Weiss) are "currently lining up appearances by as many big-name cast members" as possible in a bid to add star power to the evening — which will, thanks to intended host Kevin Hart's recent dropping-out, apparently go without a host.
Unnamed sources have also claimed that several Avengers actors were asked not to present awards at the 2019 Golden Globes in efforts to "ensure their appearance at the Oscars would have even bigger impact." This suggests that the Academy has been planning for this on-stage cast reunion since at least a few days before Sunday, January 6 (when the Globes aired) and may have even decided way ahead of time that the ceremony wouldn't have a host.
After all the controversy surrounding Hart's involvement with the Oscars, with contention lighting up after the comedian-actor seemingly refused to apologize for offensive and homophobic remarks he had made in the past and only getting worse when Ellen DeGeneres defended Hart and referred to those criticizing him as "haters" during a recent sit-down interview, the 2019 Oscars could certainly use a helping hand from the Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Such a gathering wouldn't be as shocking as the Oscars going hostless for the first time since 1989, as the 2013 awards ceremony featured an all-star reunion that capitalized on the success of 2012's The Avengers. That night, Chris Evans (Captain America), Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/The Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) joined forces to present the award for Best Cinematography, which went to Claudio Miranda for Life of Pi. The five men brought humor and a tangible charisma to the 85th Academy Awards, and if they are to return for the 91st ceremony, they'll undoubtedly have a noteworthy impact on the already-grand affair.
Having the Avengers cast attend the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony would be beneficial for everyone involved. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of additional viewers would tune in to the ceremony simply because they want to see their favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe stars on stage. A spike in viewership and an increase in ratings are likely enough to satisfy ABC, the network on which the Oscars airs each year, but there's another positive that comes along with it: including Avengers franchise actors on the list of presenters also means that Marvel can easily incorporate promotions for Avengers: Endgame throughout the evening. Additionally, it would be a momentous coming-together — and possibly the last one that could ever happen — ahead of the fourth Avengers movie, which may very well mark the final MCU film appearance for several of the actors who have been a part of the franchise since its inception in 2008.
An Avengers reunion at the 2019 Oscars seems a genuine win-win-win, so it's not hard to understand why the show's producers are working their tails off to make it happen. What the stars might do when they get up on stage remains a mystery, but we're hoping they'll perform some kind of comedy skit or a little song-and-dance segment to make Marvel fans smile before they head back into heartbreak territory with Avengers: Endgame in April.
We'll find out for sure which Avengers actors will reunite — as well as what will go down when they do — when the 2019 Oscars ceremony airs on ABC on Sunday, February 24.