America’s Ass Scene in Avengers: Endgame Was Controversial and Hotly Debated by Directors

Avengers: Endgame was released on digital yesterday, which means we now have access to the movie’s commentary featuring directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and co-writers, Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus. During the three hour movie, the creators discuss the filmmaking process and share fun, behind-the-scenes tidbits. One thing they revealed during their recording was that the “America’s ass” bit was controversial. This is surprising considering it ended up being a fan favorite.

“And here we are looking at the backside of a famous scene from Avengers,” Joe Russo says.

“Speaking of backsides, there’s America’s backside,” Markus adds as Cap’s ass appears onscreen.

“A completely different perspective. And then probably the most controversial joke in the whole movie, ‘America’s ass.’ Controversial for all of us. That was hotly debated,” Joe revealed.

“Was it?,” McFeely asked.

“Yes,” Joe confirmed.

Wow! While they don’t go into detail on who was pro and who was anti-America’s ass, they’re probably glad they ended up keeping it in the final product. In fact, the joke even sparked an awesome exclusive shirt at San Diego Comic-Con.

In a previous interview, McFeely explained the origin behind “America’s ass.”

“It’s a little meta,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “Chris Evans has never been comfortable with that outfit from the first Avengers movie. And so in the rearview, it’s a little way to wink at how that was then, and this is now. And then it sort of just built from there. By the time we got to the fight scene where he defeated himself, his butt is on the ground and he was just sitting there for a callback.”

Avengers: Endgame stars Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Josh Brolin (Thanos), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), and Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon).

Upcoming Marvel Studios projects include Black Widow on May 1, 2020, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in Fall 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, WandaVision in Spring 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, and Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021.