The Avengers originally had R rating

US censors had originally given The Avengers movie an R rating because of a gory death scene that director Joss Whedon was forced to edit out.

Superhero blockbuster The Avengers was initially given a restrictive R rating when director Joss Whedon first handed the film to movie bosses at the Motion Picture Association of America.

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige tells Movies.com that the death of Clark Gregg's character Agent Coulson in the film had to be re-edited to appease nervous censors, who feared Whedon had gone too far.

"Whenever you impale somebody from their back and the blade comes out of their chest, there are issues," Feige said.

To secure a family-friendly PG-13 rating, the director had to make more than one cut.

The Avengers, starring Australian Chris Hemsworth as Thor, was released in 2012. It grossed more than $US1.5 billion at the global box office.