When Does the Film "The Avengers" (2012) Take Place?
"The Avengers" (released to British audiences as "Avengers: Assemble") is a superhero film written by Joss Whedon with Zak Penn [adapting "The Avengers" #1 (1963) by Stan Lee] that released May 4th, 2012. So when is "The Avengers" set?
It takes place on the fictional Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline in the year:
We know this because there is a temporary concert poster in the background of the Battle of New York at roughly three quarters through the movie, advertising a performance on "06.26.2012" representing June 26th, 2012 AD. Posters like this in a major urban center use glue and aren't put up a year in advance nor left up (uncovered at least) for a year after the event's date. So it must be mid-2012 AD.
2012 AD
We know this because there is a temporary concert poster in the background of the Battle of New York at roughly three quarters through the movie, advertising a performance on "06.26.2012" representing June 26th, 2012 AD. Posters like this in a major urban center use glue and aren't put up a year in advance nor left up (uncovered at least) for a year after the event's date. So it must be mid-2012 AD.
Furthermore, at the start of a series of scenes in "The Avengers: Endgame" (2019) that show us moments of this movie from a new perspective, there is a large time and place setting title card over the footage that reads "NEW YORK 2012". And in the prologue of the first episode of the television show "Hawkeye" (2021), which also shows moments of this story from a different perspective, the first shot includes a yellow time setting title card reading "2012".
Perhaps most importantly, during "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), which takes place in 2016 AD, General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross says "For the past 4 years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision" almost certainly referring to this narrative's events.
2016 - 4 = 2012.
More specifically, during "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." season 4 episode 12 "Hot Potato Soup" (2017) a newspaper obituary is shown for a character who dies during this tale and the date of death is typed "May" something illegible, "2012". So it's May of 2012 AD.
This Geekritique article and video examines its exact setting.
It is a chronologically early film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the fourth chronologically to feature Tony Stark/Iron Man, the second with Steve Rogers/Captain America, the second to feature Natalia Romanoff/Black Widow, an early one to feature Thor, and an early one with Bruce Banner/The Hulk) and can be watched at its timeline point.
