The AvengersMarvel studios began hinting at an Avengers movie nearly three years ago and fans have been wetting their pants ever since. Looks like we're finally getting the promised film as it passed the point of no return by beginning filming yesterday in New Mexico.

Here's proof in the form of the first official photo from the film. We don't get see any of the characters, nothing is getting blown up, and we don't see someone's ass getting kicked, but there's excitement to be experienced regardless. It means that this thing is finally getting off the ground and it will likely be just a few days before we start catching our first glimpses (official, fake, or otherwise) of our superheroes on The Avengers set.

Along with the photo was released a very generic summary of the film's plot which explains that the film continues the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the Super Hero team up of a lifetime.  When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, “Marvel’s The Avengers” brings together the mightiest Super Hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time.  The star studded cast of Super Heroes will be joined by Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother) as Agent Maria Hill of SHIELD, as well as Tom Hiddleston (“Wallander”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Angels & Demons,” “Mamma Mia!”) who will both reprise their respective roles as Loki and Professor Erik Selvig from the upcoming Marvel Studios’ feature “Thor.”

It's not much, but you can see the pic below:

The Avengers set photo