It's the type of story we have to write, but you saw this coming: "Avengers" is officially getting a sequel. Disney announced Tuesday afternoon that the second ensemble superhero film is already in development.
It's shockingly unsurprising news, for two main reasons: One, there's a post-credits scene at the end of "Marvel's The Avengers" that hints at a future film and, two, the first movie made the most money over an opening weekend in the history of motion pictures.
Still, it's nice to see Disney reacting to the positive fan reaction to the film and greenlighting a sequel. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the news at the beginning of a conference call with reporters, describing the success of the first film as "a great illustration of why we like Marvel so much."
"The Avengers" has been a veritable money tree for Disney and Marvel. The movie dialed up a $200 million stateside over its opening weekend, earning the second-highest single day gross of all time (after "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2") on its way to its record-shattering biggest weekend of all time.
So yes, a sequel was a tough call to make.
PHOTOS: "The Avengers" assemble -- with everyday heroes -- for the film's New York City premiere.
'Marvel's The Avengers' New York City Premiere
"The Avengers" Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire(01 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Robert Downey Jr. (C) attends 'The Avengers' Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Bombay Sapphire) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(02 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actors Sunrise Coigney Mark Ruffalo attend the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(03 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Mark Ruffalo (2nd L) attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(04 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actors Jennifer Grey and Clark Gregg attend the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(05 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actress Christine Lahti attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(06 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actors Taran Killam and Cobie Smulders attend the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(07 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actress Cobie Smulders (2nd L) attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(08 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan attend the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(09 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Tom Hiddleston (2nd L) attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(10 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Tom Hiddleston (R) attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(11 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actress Cobie Smulders attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(12 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Robert Downey Dr. (2nd L) attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(13 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Robert Downey Dr. (R) attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(14 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Bobby Moynihan attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(15 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Chris Hemsworth attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(16 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Tom Hiddleston attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(17 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Tom Hiddleston attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(18 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Chris Hemsworth attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(19 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Jimmy Buffett attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(20 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Robert Downey Jr. attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"Marvel's The Avengers" Premiere - Outside Arrivals - 2012 Tribeca Film Festival(21 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Mark Ruffalo attends the 'Marvel's The Avengers' Premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
"The Avengers" Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire(22 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Chris Hemsworth (C) attends 'The Avengers' Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Bombay Sapphire) (credit:Getty)
"The Avengers" Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire(23 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Chris Hemsworth (C) attends 'The Avengers' Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Bombay Sapphire) (credit:Getty)
"The Avengers" Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire(24 of24)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Actor Chris Hemsworth attends 'The Avengers' Premiere, Closing Night Of The Tribeca Film Festival Sponsored By Bombay Sapphire on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Bombay Sapphire) (credit:Getty)
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.