In a heartwarming initiative to support Lakota language revitalization efforts, the original cast members of Marvel Studios’ iconic superhero team, including Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Robert Downey Jr., recently gathered to dub “The Avengers” into Lakota.
The project, born out of Ruffalo’s connection with the Lakota community, aims to reintroduce the language into homes and daily lives. “There’s not a lot of people left who speak it,” Ruffalo explained in a video documenting the endeavor.
Chuck Archambault, a Lakota advisor, emphasized the project’s goal to integrate the language into everyday activities, such as enjoying a movie together. “Our idea is to put the language back in the homes of our people,” he said.
This isn’t Marvel’s first foray into Native American language dubs; the miniseries “Echo,” featuring Menominee actor Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, offered a Choctaw language option. However, what sets the Lakota dub of “The Avengers” apart is the direct involvement of the original actors themselves. Clips from the video show Downey and Johansson meticulously recording their lines in Lakota, celebrating milestones in pronunciation.
Reflecting on the challenge, Ruffalo noted, “It’s a daunting language: There are sounds that we just don’t have in our language that they have in theirs. But once you start to get there, it feels really good.”
The behind-the-scenes footage captures moments of admiration and encouragement among the cast, with Downey remarking, “dude, that is so slick. What a beautiful language.”
The full video documenting this inspiring collaboration is available for viewing, with the Lakota-dubbed version of “The Avengers” now accessible on Disney+.
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