I thought Robert Downey Jr. ad libbed the line and Joss decided to keep it in? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Simon | October 11, 08:04 CET

Don't know where else to ask this - does anyone know if the "Avengers" Blu-ray has special features that the DVD does not? (I'm assuming the "shawarma" line is in both editions :) )

Shapenew | October 11, 08:16 CET

My understanding was that RDJ asked for some options for lines he could say to end the scene and Joss wrote some lines quickly and they settled on the shawarma line.

Which I think actually makes it more likely that Joss mined his past for the lines.

Knuckleball | October 11, 08:26 CET

The impression I got from the commentary is that "shawarma" was one of several ideas Joss tossed to RDJ to work with when filming the scene, and that's what he improvised around.

Shapenew: The only special features on the DVD are the Joss commentary track and the "Assembling the Ultimate Team" featurette. The gag reel, deleted scenes, Item 47 minifilm, etc. are only on the Bluray. (This info is for the North America release, I'm not sure about other regions except that apparently Europe doesn't get the commentary track.)

HWT | October 11, 08:29 CET

None of the non-US releases have the commentary either on DVD or BD, at least so far. I'm really curious about what the Japanese release will turn out to be.
So most International markets only have the featurette as the DVD extra. And no Commentary track on DVD or BD. The major issue with a lot of the European releases was actually the censoring of a certain scene.

Numfar PTB | October 11, 08:56 CET

Shawarma - like many of Joss' recurring notions or images, such as "Shiny" and the evil of florists - appeared in his earlier work as well as in the piece for which it becomes known. He had Xander nervously bumble through this, in BtVS 104 "Teacher's Pet":

"I like cucumbers. Like in that Greek salad thing with the yogurt. Do you like Greek food? I'm exempting shawarma, of course, I mean, what's that all about? It's a big meat hive."

It is a big meat hive. A delicious, evil, addicting, savory big meat hive of joy.

QuoterGal | October 11, 09:39 CET

Yeah, I always took the Schwarma in Avengers as a little nod to Nick. Of course, it's such an excellent word -- Schwarma -- that you can't really go wrong with it.

Carnelionne | October 11, 10:32 CET

"Robert asking for more on the day and I tossed him a bunch of stuff and one of them was about shawarma, and let's just say he ran with it." from commentary track

garyyager | October 11, 10:46 CET

HWT, thanks very much!

Shapenew | October 11, 10:50 CET

I've been saying this since the movie premiered. The moment I heard Stark say the shawarma line, I thought "that's from Nick Brendon's audition".

GreatMuppetyOdin | October 11, 12:30 CET

Whatever - mmh, I'd so like a Shawarma now! :-p

cleveland | October 11, 14:38 CET