Pictured above (center): One lucky bastard.

Pictured above (center): One lucky bastard.

  • Pictured above (center): One lucky bastard.

I can think of no other way to introduce this item than by saying “Set your geek boners to maximum, geeks.” Which, somehow, seems appropriate. Via Deadline New York:

I’m told Marvel Studios is in final negotiations for Buffy the Vampire Slayer series architect Joss Whedon to direct Marvel Studios’ The Avengers. That’s the fast-tracked film that would amount to an all-star team of Marvel superheros, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), as well as SHIELD leader Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Other signature superheros will likely be involved, but I’ve listed the actors in active superhero duty. Whedon has been rumored for this job for awhile, and is high on the fanboy wish-list. He’s an interesting choice: despite his writing/producing TV series resume, his lone feature directing effort, Serenity, was not a hit.

I’ve been hearing rumors about Whedon being lined up for this for a while, but I honestly thought they were just part of some cruel April Fool’s joke intended sucker in and then destroy nerds. Now that it’s apparently at least somewhat legit… well, shit. That’s about the best possible news for The Avengers; with Whedon’s knack for big casts (Serenity) and his unfuckwithable knowledge of what makes superheroes awesome (Astonishing X-Men), this could be the comic-book movie to end all comic-book movies. (Especially if the flick’s villain is Edward Norton as the Hulk. Or actually, even if the flick’s villain is just regular Edward Norton. That could be cool too.) Anyway, fingers crossed this works out.

With honor and distinction, Erik Henriksen served as the executive editor of the Portland Mercury from 2004 to 2020. He can now be found at henriksenactual.com.

14 replies on “Whedonphiles Assemble: Joss Whedon “In Final Negotiations” to Direct <i>The Avengers</i>.”

  2. On a more serious note, I hate the idea of Whedon doing The Avengers. His creepy “teenage girls are the most powerful beings in the known universe” fetish would completely ruin the character of Hank “Janet Is One Clumsy Bitch” Pym.

    I’m not being pro spousal abuse, but the Pym storyline is one of the more mature, deep undertones in a series wildly famed for being the quintessential superhero team book.

  3. I could also see Favreau, Raimi or even Zack Snyder doing this thing right but that’s assuming the studio doesn’t get all Spider-Man 3 on their asses.

    Serenity might not have been a box-office hit, but it was a good sci-fi movie. The list of good sci-fi movies is not a very long list.

  6. A few remarks. First, set aside Deadline and you have Variety confirming the deal is “wrapping up”. Since then, both Zack Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen have tweeted the story.

    As to the movie itself, between Joss’ talents at writing team-building/”found family” storylines, and how fantastic the action in Serenity was, I think he’ll be just fine heading up The Avegers.

  8. @ tk: Marvel has officially stated that they don’t want directors doubling up on the films which fall into their rights holdings. Thus, no Favreau directing Avengers (though he seems like a solid choice), because he did Iron Man for Marvel’s studio.

    They would be seemingly cool with Raimi doing it since his Spider-Man stuff was for Sony, but after Spider-Man 3 — and, presumably, knowing that I find Raimi and everyone related to him to be incredibly fucking annoying — I doubt they’d really want to go to him to do something like Avengers.

  10. How can they cast Chris Evans as Captain America, when he’s already the Human Torch? Does that bug anyone else? Bugs the fuck out of me!

    I like the guy, but he’s a bit like Stifler – the guy just LOOKs smarmy, and the Captain should be a lot more serious. That guy from Avatar would be an unfortunate choice, but he’d be a better fit than Evans!

    /nerd rage off

  12. What? No, those aren’t the same thing at all – one’s Marvel and one’s DC! You’re just lucky I already turned off the nerd rage…

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