Holy crap, the Avengers 2 trailer is amazing. So amazing that we decided to pick it apart and look for character and plot clues, and what we found was pretty exciting. Spoilers!
The trailer opens with a sweeping shot of (what I believe is) the Johannesburg's skyline, which is a location that Avengers 2 shot.
But then things explode, which is a very bad sign for the Avengers.
People in a foreign country (note the plates; I think it's still Johannesburg) are running, fast.
Cut to Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) and her brother Pietro (Quicksilver). But they look different, Pietro doesn't have silver hair. He has normal dark hair — is this them pre-powers? Also, what are they at, a protest? A big event? Your guess is as good as mine, because it looks like the whole thing is about to go tits up anyway.
Ultron's voice is over these scenes saying, "I'm gonna show you something beautiful. Everyone screaming, for mercy." Then you see a shot of a metal hand being doused in even more hot metal liquid. Taking in what we're about to learn in the later scenes ahead, I suspect (as does commenter elfprince13) that this may be Ultron "vibraniumizing" himself. Thus making him indestructible and removing him of any "strings." And yes that song you hear sung throughout the rest of the trailer is Disney's "I've Got No Strings" from Pinocchio. We see what you did there Ultron.
An upset Cap walks through a destroyed non-American country (possibly Johannesburg again). This is not how the great Captain America walks around. He looks dejected, shoulder slumped. Then there's a cut to Hawkeye and Thor, everyone looking down. And then...
A totally dejected group shot. Nothing mighty about this gathering. Either they lost big time, or something very bad just happened. Note how no one will look at Bruce Banner. They all seem to be aggressively avoiding him.
This anti-Banner stance is only magnified by the fact that the camera then zooms into a totally freaked out Banner. Something very bad just happened, indeed.
But no time to dwell, because the gang is back at the Avengers new pad, havin' a party! See the wine glasses and bottles of booze. Everyone is in their fancy street clothes (Thor is wearing an exceedingly long jacket, which is perfect).
But then PARTY'S OVER. A very creepy cobbled-together Ultron (made out of what looks like old Iron Man suit parts) shambles through some sort of weight room and calls everyone a "puppet."
Needless to say this freaks everyone out. Help me out here; I can account for everyone in this room apart from the woman behind Thor. Starting left to right, there's the Hulk (in Bruce Banner form), Black Widow, ???, Hawkeye, Maria Hill, War Machine, Iron Man and Captain America. Who's between Black Widow and Hawkeye?
Ultron continues to be the creepiest and crushes the skull of his original form, the version (I'm assuming) the Avengers thought they beat. It is very, very scary. Well done, James Spader.
Cut to this place which I believe is the previously referenced location of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (where Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are being held, as you saw at the end of Captain America 2). This location reveal is coupled by shots of the Avengers in the snow — looks like a rescue or reconnaissance mission. In between snowy Avengers cuts, there are moments of hospital beds being wheeled down dirty halls, and a close-up of a tray full of needles and surgical tools. Were the twins being experimented upon?
Ultron looks over a gigantic factory. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver stand to his side.
Quicksilver looks very different now.
The first of Ultron's minions climbs out of a river. Many more follow. Presumably these creatures were being built in the factory
Tony says, "It's the end. The end of the path I started us on." He's basically taking responsibility for creating the problem the Avengers will now have to fight, Ultron.
Fury's back with a new henly.
Someone did something to the Scarlet Witch which made her very, very mad.
First shot of Hulk vs. Iron Man. Perhaps this is what made the Scarlet Witch so mad as well as why everyone is pissed at Bruce above?
First shot of Hulk face.
Hulkbuster armor! Iron Man was clearly prepared for this encounter.
And now, CRAZY HOT ACTION. Black Widow on her totally badass motorcycle that is dropped out of a JET.
And here's Quicksilver's lighting fast speed (in slow motion). Also, apparently this is how Avengers 2 will visually display his quickness.
The Scarlet With in full red-eye attack mode.
Some sort of Captain America post-serum flashback?
Random ships that are probably not of any importance at all. OR ARE THEY?
And then Andy Serkis appears! Whaaaat? Yes Andy Serkis! But who is he playing?
Most people (including myself and great friend Chris Radtke) all seem to believe that this is the first look at Ulysses Klaw, and not just because of that excellent beard (but it certainly does help out case). First the elusive, indestructible material vibranium has long been rumored to be a big part of Avengers 2, andKlaw's story is deeply tied to the mining and hoarding of vibranium. This is what Ultron and his robot army are allegedly made of. And in order to build an army of vibranium robots, Ultron would need A LOT of vibraniu... like a whole fleet of ships' worth (note earlier image).
Oh, and Klaw also just so happens to be Black Panther's archenemy, so yeah, Avengers 2 just hinted at the possibility of a Black Panther movie. (Please please please.)
Meanwhile the camera cuts to a wet, angry, mjolnir-less Thor. Did someone just become unworthy?
Beauty seems to have calmed the beast. That's Hulk and Black Widow basically holding hands. Hawkeye's gonna be piiiiiiiiissed.
Ballerinas, right after a cut of Black Widow and the Hulk bonding? Could this be a hint at a more detailed backstory for Natasha? She was a ballerina, and Joss Whedon has promised more from her character.
Thor grabs Tony by the neck!
Then there's a lot more action, more shots of Hawkeye running in the snow. Additional Hulk vs. Iron Man scenes, then someone throws a car at Captain America. But it all stops on this icon — Captain America's shield, on the ground, broken.
The end reveal being (what I'm assuming) is the final version of Ultron, who is doing his very best James Spader eyebrow furrow. Thank god for robot eyebrows, because this guy is very, very scary.
He looks very, very different from the Ultron Entertainment Weekly cover reveal, which only solidifies my theory that as he upgrades so do his features. Or maybe this is just a battle mask.