In the meantime, we have another gargantuan beast roaming the land flattening all before it.
First time round, amid fears that it would collapse under the weight of the assembled cast, The Avengers broke box office records worldwide.
And rightly so. It was nothing short of awesome.
Following it up, then, was going to be no small feat.
For a start, it couldn't stand alone. Events from the first film have shaped the Marvel universe, while The Winter Soldier casually got shot of S.H.I.E.L.D.
(Non-Marvel fans - they were the god guys, infiltrated by the bad guys and made to look bad).
These events, of course, had a knock-on effect in TV land where the Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D became Agents Without...
So, now, we find ourselves on the threshold of a new story arc.
Those of us familiar with the books know what's coming (the next Captain America film is also a massive clue), but for those of you who only know these characters through the silver screen that's all to come.
In the meantime, there's another two-hour explosion of quips and arrows to keep you entertained.
And entertain it does.
Dropping you straight in with a full-on battle, you are greeted by old friends while new faces are introduced slowly.
Quips fly as fast as Iron Man, with the new story being tied into past events seamlessly.
Then the real drama starts.
And it's a masterstroke.
Casting James Spader as Ultron was nothing short of genius. The menace and malevolence he exudes in every syllable puts shivers down your spine.
And the fact he's more than able to go toe-to-toe with the big hitters means there's a real sense of danger - something missing when minions are firing guns at The Hulk.
But this isn't just another collection of big fights.
Away from the action, the lives of Hawk Eye, Dr Banner and Natasha Romanov come into focus, allowing us to connect further with these much-loved characters.
Writer/director Joss Whedon also plays a blinder with the way he stitches in more of Romanov's back story. OK, it's probably setting up her own movie, but the fact it's done so well negates any cynical mutterings.
Then there's the new guys.
The always excellent Elizabeth Olsen and Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson could have been lost in an already full cast, but their portrayals of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are so nailed they more than hold their own.
In fact, the audience connects with them so quickly there was an audible tense silence when things start getting a bit edge-of-the-seat.
The one noticeable difference from the first Avengers film is the tone.
Where the first was big, brash and bright, full of adrenaline and swagger, Age Of Ultron is a darker, more slightly muted beast.
In keeping with the sombre tones of Winter Soldier, Ultron is building to a bigger problem and this is marked in both the colour pallet and tone.
And that's not a criticism.
The added grit and drama make this feel a more grown-up film (as it did with Winter Soldier).
Marvel and Joss Whedon know the audience is growing up watching these films, and so the storylines are being allowed to mature as the gathered masses do.
That's not to say this is a perfect movie.
The generally excellent and unobtrusive 3D does tend to lend a blur to the fast-paced action sequences, and this is no playground for the uninitiated.
Having introduced everyone across several films (with the exception of three characters, the third being Andy Serkis' South African arms dealer), there is now the assumption that everyone knows what is going on.
Granted, when half the Western world has seen Avengers, this could be seen as a reasonable thought, but it does mean anyone coming in to see what all the fuss is about is left playing catch-up.
Obviously, this is of little matter to the rest of us, but it was a niggling thought as I sat in the cinema that if you didn't know who Black Widow was before you sat down, you'd be no closer to knowing at the end.
Same with the under-used Agent Hill.
But these really are small points.
Overall, it's another fine triumph.
It's not necessarily up there with the first Avengers, and it's not as much full-on fun as Guardians Of The Galaxy, but they are high bars indeed.
By following in the footsteps of Winter Soldier and the events elsewhere in the film/TV Marvel universe, this is a more serious film. And that's fine.
It's still a fantastic ride that will have you laughing (and even crying) as the lengthy running time flashes by in the blink of an eye.
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