These superheroes are about to be Bard-ed.
All four Marvel Studios’ “Avengers” films are being reimagined as Shakespeare plays in a forthcoming book, set to publish Sept. 28.
“Assemble, Ye Avengers!” announces the description for “William Shakespeare’s The Avengers: The Complete Works” on Philadelphia-based indie publisher Quirk Books’ website. “What if the most epic cinematic franchise of all time had been penned by the greatest playwright of all time? Wonder no more!”
The Shakespearean retelling will be penned by Portland, Oregon-based best-selling author Ian Doescher, who has previously reimagined the “Star Wars” franchise as a Bard of Avon work.
In addition to “authentic meter and verse,” the publisher also promises the new take on the classic comic book characters’ movies will include stage directions and “entertaining Easter eggs” in a “fully faithful” but fresh new format. Everyone from Captain America to Groot (“’Tis I!”) will get monologues, dialogue and full-color illustrations in the parody.
The book is currently available for pre-order via various booksellers, including Amazon, where it is priced at $34.99 for a hardcover copy and $15.99 for Kindle.
In other “Avengers” news, Disney this week announced that it will release “Black Widow” — the Scarlett Johansson-led film about the frequent Avengers member — simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ on July 9. The movie was delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and has repeatedly had its release date pushed back.
The decision to premiere the flick at the same time for viewers in theaters and on their couches alike is thought to possibly be a post-pandemic trend.
Earlier this month, “Avatar” surpassed “Avengers: Endgame” as the world’s highest-grossing movie. The epic’s return to the top slot occurred after it was re-released in China, where it promptly earned $8 million in a single day.
