It can be tough to keep up with every movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as 22 films have been released since 2008 and the count is still going. But the core six Avengers — Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye — are at the heart of the comic books and film franchise. With their lives spared for Avengers: Endgame and this final chapter focused heavily on this crew, let’s take a look at how the actors who play those famed superheroes — Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner — have changed since we first met them in the MCU. 

The Core Six

Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo have come a long way since each of their respective debuts into the MCU! And they all clean up nicely, eh?

Robert Downey Jr.: Then

RDJ took Tony Stark’s goatee look very seriously at the Iron Man premiere in May 2008.

Robert Downey Jr.: Now

The 54-year-old actor traded in his facial hair for yellow-tinted glasses at the Avengers: Endgame world premiere in Los Angeles in April 2019.

Chris Hemsworth: Then

Now that we’ve seen Hemsworth as Thor since the eponynmous origin flick in 2011, it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone else playing the character. Look at those long(ish) blonde locks! Those broad shoulders! That mischievous glimmer in his blue eyes!

Chris Hemsworth: Now

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The hair got a little shorter, but that smile? Still there! Hemsworth’s fashion game has also been stepped up a notch. Truly, find us one other man who can pull off that much paisley and then throw hammers on screen.

Scarlett Johansson: Then

Johansson made her debut as Black Widow in 2010’s Iron Man 2, and her character has truly come a long way in nine years. Back then, the blonde beauty wore her wavy locks shoulder-length or longer — though she sported an updo at the Iron Man 2 premiere — and rocked as much self-tanner as the rest of us did at the time, but her fashion game was as on point then as it is now.

Scarlett Johansson: Now

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After a few years of rocking a very short ‘do, ScarJo is back to mid-length locks, but her style has gotten a bit vampier with rock n’roll touches. But that natural glow? As proved at the Avengers: Endgame premiere, that’s still very much there!

Chris Evans: Then

Steve Rogers was gifted his first standalone in the the aptly titled MCU flick, Captain America: The First Avenger. Robert Downey Jr. would be very proud of those tinted glasses Evans wore to the film’s July 2011 premiere, but we can’t get enough of his three-piece suit and checkered pocket square.

Chris Evans: Now

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Evans used to give off nicest-frat-guy-in-the-house vibes, but eight years later, Captain America has firmly melted our hearts and only gets more handsome by the year. Is it the beard? Quite possibly, but our statement stands even if Evans removes the facial hair.

Jeremy Renner: Then

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2011’s Thor marked the official, albeit uncredited, introduction of Renner’s then-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clint Barton, so the choice is yours whether to count that as the first time you met Hawkeye or his credited appearance in The Avengers the following year. The photo above is from the Los Angeles premiere of the latter in April 2012 and, yes, that is a shiny silver suit and slight longer locks you’re seeing. Fancy, no?

Jeremy Renner: Now

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For the Avengers: Endgame world premiere, Renner traded the shine for a smart navy blue tux, and his hair is worn spiked up these days (in a classy way, not a 2000s way — don’t worry). We’re also big fans of that bow tie!

Mark Ruffalo: Then

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Yes, there was a Hulk movie in 2009, but we were first introduced to Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in 2012’s The Avengers.

Mark Ruffalo: Now

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Is Hulk less gray now than he was seven years ago? Apparently so. (Hollywood magic!) Ruffalo was also proudly rocking a plum suit at the Avengers: Endgame premiere, which we think was quite dapper. Be proud, Bruce. Be proud.