Marvel Announces Phase 2 For 'The Avengers'

Every cinematic offering Marvel has delivered thus far has been in support of The Avengers -- but now that the superhero team up has taken in more than one billion dollars at the box office, it's time for Marvel to look to the future. Specifically, Phase Two, which kicks off this May with the release of Iron Man 3!

VIDEO FLASHBACK - On The Avengers Set

"Iron Man 1 was the first in a giant Avengers Assemble Phase 1, leading up to The Avengers itself," Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President, says in a new video. "Iron Man 3 is the start of that new road to Phase Two."

VIDEO - Amazing Iron Man 3 Trailer

Feige goes on to reference Nick Fury's speech in the closing moments of Iron Man as the moment The Avengers universe was truly ignited, and now the question becomes, what road will Iron Man 3 lead Tony Stark down -- and how will that film, coupled with November's Thor: The Dark World and 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, influence The Avengers 2, coming May 1, 2015?

Only time will tell, but Robert Downey Jr. and the men behind Iron Man give you a few hints in the video below. Watch!

UPDATE: Some deleted scenes from The Avengers (featured on the limited edition 10-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One six-movie collector's set) have found their way online (via). None have finished VFX and most of them are very short, but one reveals Dollhouse alum Enver Gjokaj and Growing Pains' Ashley Johnson originally had much larger parts in the film.