Andy Serkis On AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Role, 'Educating' Mark Ruffalo And Joss Whedon

Andy Serkis On AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Role, 'Educating' Mark Ruffalo And Joss Whedon

Is he playing Thanos? The motion-capture performance maestro explains how he helped Mark Ruffalo feel comfortable as the Incredible Hulk, and comments on his role in The Avengers sequel

By DCMarvelFreshman - Jul 14, 2014 09:07 AM EST
Source: The Daily Beast


Last week, while making the rounds for his acclaimed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes performance, Andy Serkis addressed his on and off-screen contribution to next year's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Before confirming at least one character he just might  not be playing in the anticipated Marvel sequel, Serkis explained to The Daily Beast how he and his studio consulted on and ultimately improved Mark Ruffalo's Incredible Hulk. “The difference for Mark [Ruffalo] this time around is that the Imaginarium, which is our performance-capture studio in London that’s providing all the performance capture for the Avengers movie, is providing education,” said the mocap guru. “Previously, he would’ve walked onto a set and you’ve got Thor and all the other characters in their costumes looking magnificent, and then you’d have Mark in a grey motion-capture suit playing this enormous character, so it’s about giving the actor the right atmosphere and credibility for the performance, which we did in a number of ways. We had to educate the director that the actor owns the role, and what you get on the set is what you should be aiming to put into your cut as the final performance—with the rendering coming later on.”

Andy continued,
Also, we worked with Mark in really grounding him and playing with the digital avatar before going on set so he could see himself as the Hulk before going onscreen, and we put weights and inhibitors on him to give him the sense that his arms were these big, giant wrecking balls, and so that his biceps wouldn’t intersect with his body. We equipped him. We also gave him a sound system and pitch-modulated his voice so you could hear the enormous Hulk roar coming out of these speakers, so the crew would go, 'Jesus! That’s Hulk on set!' It gives Mark the sense of feeling better, and if he feels better, then he’ll be more comfortable in the performance.” About his mystery Age of Ultron role, Serkis was asked if he's playing Thanos, who's rumored to somehow appear in Joss Whedon's superhero reassembly, and voiced by Josh Brolin. “Um…I’d have to deny that character at this point,” he replied. “But I am playing a character. I was really thrilled that Whedon asked me to be involved. It’s fantastic. I’ve had a ball working with them, both as performance capture consultant through the Imaginarium, but also being asked to be in it. I can’t say anything more!” What do you think?



In regards to who Andy Serkis is playing in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it was reported previously that we can also rule out titular villain Ultron, the Vision, and any other character that has already been announced. However, it's worth noting that IMDB has filled a couple intriguing background roles in the movie: an “Asgardian” that isn't Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder, and a “Klaue Mercenary.” The latter role is most interesting given that it indicates the Nazi commander Colonel Fritz Klaue, from Marvel Comics, will appear in the movie. The villainous character not only has loose ties to Baron von Strucker (who is played by Andy Serkis' King Kong co-star Thomas Kretschmann), but his son Ulysses Klaw is a primary archenemy to Black Panther and his African nation of Wakanda, which is also said to pop up in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now, what do you think? Only time will tell!

Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Cobie Smulders Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, with Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, and James Spader. The film is set for release on May 1, 2015.

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batz11
batz11 - 7/13/2014, 9:48 PM
He'd be an amazing Thanos, really wonder if Brolin mocap would be great too? Think it would...
Reasonnnn
Reasonnnn - 7/14/2014, 9:33 AM
AVENGERS. TOGETHER. STRONG.
Reasonnnn
Reasonnnn - 7/14/2014, 9:34 AM
AVENGERS. ASSEMBLE. STRONG.
DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 7/14/2014, 9:35 AM
I'd rather have Serkis do the mocap for Brolin. I still hope he's playing Corvius Glaive (possibly the Other?)
kinghulk
kinghulk - 7/14/2014, 9:41 AM
i hope he plays a member of the black order, have him in a after credits scene withe the black order appearing before thanos.
MrCBM56
MrCBM56 - 7/14/2014, 9:41 AM
Holy shit. Wonder who he's playing. Great addition
MrCBM56
MrCBM56 - 7/14/2014, 9:42 AM
Ceaser cameo?
YeezusWept
YeezusWept - 7/14/2014, 9:42 AM
Ulysses Klaw would be pretty cool.
pesmerga44
pesmerga44 - 7/14/2014, 9:43 AM
Even if it isn't a cameo and he is just there to help Ruffalo and Whedon then why not get the master at Mo-Cap to help the movie.
cipher
cipher - 7/14/2014, 9:44 AM
DEV, I assumed you were kidnapped by scrotum-faced aliens.
SidDaAstroSloth
SidDaAstroSloth - 7/14/2014, 9:45 AM
Serkis as CG MODOK.
AverageDrafter
AverageDrafter - 7/14/2014, 9:45 AM
Serkis did a smart, smart thing in founding The Imaginarium. He basically utilizes his position and reputation at the forefront of MoCap performance and technology and turns it into a research and production facility that will be the go-to for Mo-Cap like ILM was the go-to for cutting edge effects work in the 80s-90s.
SidDaAstroSloth
SidDaAstroSloth - 7/14/2014, 9:45 AM
I am with Dev. I hope Serkis is playing Josh Brolin.
LMB10
LMB10 - 7/14/2014, 9:46 AM
I'd say Abomination, but I'd really like to see Tim Roth back in the role
Hulksta
Hulksta - 7/14/2014, 9:47 AM
Calling it now...

NeKroziFeRPrime
NeKroziFeRPrime - 7/14/2014, 9:47 AM
Abomination because hulkbuster vs hulk is a lie :)...
Null
Null - 7/14/2014, 9:49 AM
I need to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes to see just how good he is. Then I'll see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in Theaters. He did a good job in TLOTR, but that was then.
YeezusWept
YeezusWept - 7/14/2014, 9:52 AM
He would make a great Abomination. They wouldn't need to necessarily show Emil Blonsky so him playing the part wouldn't be an issue.
YeezusWept
YeezusWept - 7/14/2014, 9:54 AM
He could even be playing the Hulkbuster for all we know.
DefcoN
DefcoN - 7/14/2014, 9:56 AM
I still believe that Mephisto will appear alongside Thanos. Andy Serkis could very well play a character like that.
DaVinci31
DaVinci31 - 7/14/2014, 9:57 AM
imaginejim
imaginejim - 7/14/2014, 10:01 AM
Andy Serkis = The Abomination
DeusExSponge
DeusExSponge - 7/14/2014, 10:04 AM
He's playing Iron Man of course, gotta add some emotion to that emotionless Iron mask!!!!
osideous
osideous - 7/14/2014, 10:09 AM
can we all just acknowledge that fact Wakanda is going to show up in this movie. Black Panther bitches
GhostDog
GhostDog - 7/14/2014, 10:09 AM
Kang would be amazing!!! I could see him aging Klaw setting up Balck Panther down the road. Kang would be great...set up a villian for Phase four after Thanos.
ALegendaryPanda
ALegendaryPanda - 7/14/2014, 10:10 AM
Andy Serkis is just... amazing
GhostDog
GhostDog - 7/14/2014, 10:11 AM
WAKANDA has to show up in this film. Maybe Ultron desires Vibranium for an upgrade in his body. Something cool like he scans Cap's shield and discovers the origin of the material is in the hidden kingdom...tracks the mineral to it's point of origin this unveiling WAKANDA to the world
batmorMark2
batmorMark2 - 7/14/2014, 10:15 AM
hell yeah.... you go Caesar ... you go on...
3DOldskool
3DOldskool - 7/14/2014, 10:15 AM
That Hulk looks better than the one in The Avengers, I hope they can make it a little more green. That would give you a perfect Hulk.
ALegendaryPanda
ALegendaryPanda - 7/14/2014, 10:16 AM
Andy Serkis is now part of:

Planet of the Apes

STAR WARS

And now THE AVENGERS!


Does it get any better than that??
GrayFox1025
GrayFox1025 - 7/14/2014, 10:19 AM
For someone whose voice work is as good as his acting, it would be a waste to have Andy Serkis be merely the movement of Thanos and not his voice as well. I think he's playing someone totally new.
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