This is shaping up to be the CANNONBALL RUN of superhero movies. According to Mike Fleming at Deadline Hollywood, Joss Whedon, creator of the TV shows BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FIREFLY and DOLLHOUSE, and director of SERENITY, is in final negotiations to direct THE AVENGERS; Marvel Studios’ ambitious cinematic crossover project scheduled for a 2012 release. This news has got the fanboy ‘verse whipped up in all manners of hi-larious frenzy.
Don’t get me wrong, I love frenzied fanboys. Especially the ones that go “Ooh, maybe they can get Eliza Dushku for The Scarlet Witch and NPH for The Vision.” As if that’s how $150M blockbusters work. But what’s even better are the multi page talkbacks arguing whether or not Whdeon is the right guy to pull this off, or whether Marvel will restrict him so greatly that Whedon won’t be able to have his way and he’ll leave, or how he will never be able to manage the egos of Robert Downey Jr and Samuel L. Jackson and the whole thing will explode and there will be guts everywhere and…
Please. Whedon and Marvel have a long and established relationship. Whedon ‘versed the comic book ASTONISHING X-MEN for years with nary an upbunching from Marvel. The X-Men are Marvel’s bread and butter, and Whedon had a popular, profitable run with them. They are obviously happy enough with their relationship that they offered him the job to direct THE AVENGERS. Marvel knows exactly what they are getting into. Whedon is a feature film director, a very successful television showrunner and an amazing writer. If the rumors are true that he’s also making his own pass through Zack Penn’s script, then I don’t see how Marvel could have made a better choice for themselves.
For those who don’t know the backstory, THE AVENGERS is possibly one of the most ambitious film projects attempted in a long time, certainly since LORD OF THE RINGS. It is also one of the biggest gambles. THE AVENGERS will be a culmination and collision of at least 5 different recent and upcoming blockbuster movies.
We have already seen two of them; IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Yes, Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Iron Man in THE AVENGERS, and Edward Norton may play the Hulk. IRON MAN 2 is due out in a few weeks and Marvel Studios has CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER starring Chris Evans and THOR with Chris Hemsworth due out next year. THE AVENGERS will rope the stars of these films into one orgiastic, superhero free-for-all that will be sort of a sequel to all of them.
Not since ALIENS VS. PREDATOR have we seem such an epic cinematic mashup.
Okay, bad example. But you know what I mean.
THE AVENGERS chronicles the stories of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Nick Fury, The Hulk and many other high profile superheroes join in the fun to take on epic threats around the world deemed too big for just one hero to handle.
Sort of like The Justice League… but Marvel!
Projected for a 2012 release, THE AVENGERS will feature Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, along with Evans and Hemswoth as Captain America and Thor respectively. Rumored to also be joining the cast are Edward Norton as The Hulk and Scarlet Johansen as The Black Widow, but nothing is official yet.
Sorry, no Tobey Maguire as Spiderman or Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, those characters are licensed to Sony and Fox.
UPDATE: Pajiba writes that Whedon will also be making a writing pass through the screenplay of THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA (or whatever it’s called these days). If true, it would appear Marvel is doubling down on the Academy Award nominated writer. Always a safe bet.
So that’s my take. What’s yours? Is Whedon the right guy for this? Who else would you rather see direct it? Michael Bay? Jean Luc Godard? Corman?
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