Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008)

• Add

Overview

Next Avengers is a original story set within a alternate Marvel universe. The Avengers have all been killed by Ultron, a robot meant to replace them. Tony Stark,Iron Man was able to escape with the Avengers children and has rasied them as his own. The Next Avengers is a adventure film as the kids must go out and save the world like there parents did before.

Creation

Next Avengers was written by comics writer Christopher Yost who frequently worked with film producer Craig Kyle who had worked on every Marvel Lions Gate animated feature up the that point. Director Jay Oliva had directed the Doctor Strange and Invincible Iron Man animated features as well as work in various animated television shows. This was the first animated Marvel feature for Kevin Feige to work on, Feige previously produced nearly every live action Marvel film across multiple studios. Madhouse the animation studio also worked on the film a first in there Marvel Animated Features.

Plot Summary

And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born. The Avengers Captain America,Black Widow,Iron Man,Thor,Giant Man.Wasp,Black Panther,Hawkeye and The Vision protected the world from the greatest of evils. Eventually they had saved the world and begun to settle down and move on to a world without evil. Tony Stark,Iron Man began to develope Ultron a robot meant to protect the world and humanity. Eventually children were born. Ultron began to follow his programing though but turned on the Avengers and defeated them only Tony Stark was able to escape with the children.

Over a decade later the children of the Avengers live in solitude in the Artic protected by Tony Stark, who has become there adoptive father. Secluded they begin to develop there skill and are trained to protect the world. One day the Vision returns to the base with news of Ultrons impending invasion of Asia and that Clint Barton,Hawkeyes son is alive.The children spy on Stark and Vision and accidently come across the Iron Avengers, mechanical replicas of there parents built by Stark, James the son of Captain America and Black Widow unwittingly activates them sending them to hunt Ultron but also alerts Ultron to there presence.Ultron attacks forcing Stark to suit up and and sacrifice himself to get the kids out and to saftey, he is than taken to Ultra City and tortured.

Disobeying the Visions orders the children make there way to Utlra City intent on fighting Ultron and rescuing there father. After Torrun rushes head first into battle the young Avengers are overwhelmed, surrounded by Ultrons robitic forces. They are saved however by Francis Barton the son of Hawkeye who after his fathers death became the leader of the reaming human population. Barton explains to them that humanity is lost and that Stark is most likely dead. Betty Ross tells them that if Stark is alive he would be in the citadel sending the children to the tower. Once inside they come across Ultrons trophy room filled with relics of all the defeated heroes with the Avengers at the center. Eventually they make it to the top and free Stark who comments that they didn't just walk right into Ultrons trap. They become surrounded by Ultron and reprogrammed Iron Avengers but are once again saved by Hawkeye.

On the run Stark eplains to them that he created Ultron to replace the Avengers letting them live normal lives. Ultrons simplistic programming and AI casued him to belive the only way to protect the world was to control the world casuing the Avengers to be killed.Hawkeye is initially angry at Stark for leaving him and his father behinde and casuing so many meaninglist deaths. Betty Ross tells them all that Bruce Banner the Hulk still lives hiding out in the desert. Together the children and Stark go to the desert looking for his help.

Banner refuses to help forcing the kids to activate a becon that calls Ultron and the Iron Avengers. The children than due battle with the mechanical representation of there parents but are slowly over matched. Henry Pym than goes and stings Banner multiple times leading him to become angry transforming into the Hulk. The Hulk smashes through the Iron Avengers and eventually rips Ultron in half. With the battle over the Hulk takes Betty and runs off. Stark warns them that the fight is not over since Ultron will just repair itself if there is enough of its body remaining. Torrun grabs Ultrons parts flying up into space flinging it out into the abyss. Unable to breathe though she dies and is greated by her father Thor, who had left earth to rule Asgard. Thor explains his great joy at seeing her learn the humanity needed to be a hero offering her a place in Asgard. She refuses though and returns to earth in new Asgardian armor.

With Ultron destroyed the new Avengers go back to Ultra City to defeat the reaming robotic forces and free humanity.

Production

Animation for the film was done by both Marvel and Madhouse a first in several film collaborations. Madhouse is a top animation studio in japan having worked on many television and film projects. The animation didn't have any CGI a difference between Ultimate Avengers and its sequel.

Critical Reception

Next Avengers received largley negative reviews. The main complaint based around the movies simplistic story and basic characters.

Felix Gonzalez Jr. from DVD Review was unsatisfied "With by-the-numbers characters and only a marginally interesting setup, however, even younger viewers may grow impatient as the film makes its way to a pretty good climax."

David Cornelius from DVDTalk.com complained it was "Another batch of lost opportunities for Marvel."

Widgett Walls from Needcoffee.com would have loved "to see these characters . . . in a better conceived story."

Nancy Davis Kho of Common Sense Media liked saying it was a "Rollicking young superhero tale; lots of cartoon violence."

Christopher Monfette for IGN gave it a 7 saying it was"an entertaining bit of comic book-to-film entertainment. And while the kids aren't meant to be carbon copies of their forefathers, one is still left to wonder why this is all necessary in the first place."