Avenger’s director, Joss Whedon, will co-write and possibly direct a Marvel universe TV show.
Joss Whedon is no longer just a quirky writer with a talent for churning out cult TV shows. The groundbreaking success of The Avengers has given the writer/director an enviable amount of clout, and he’s hardly hurting for job offers. Those offers are going to have to wait, however, as Whedon has already announced he’ll not only be returning to direct a sequel to The Avengers, but he’ll also be co-writing and possibly directing a live-action TV pilot provisionally titled S.H.I.E.L.D. ABC just confirmed that the show has been greenlit.
According to a report from Deadline, Whedon’s contract with Disney, Marvel’s parent company, not only included directing The Avengers, but also called on him to develop a Marvel TV project. Whedon will be co-writing the pilot with his brother, Jed Whedon, and Maruissa Tancharoen, both of whom worked on Dollhouse, one of Whedon’s many TV projects.
S.H.I.E.L.D, for those of you who don’t read comic books or pay attention during films, is the perennial anti-terrorist organization that, last time I checked, funds the Avengers. It’s not clear if the TV pilot will take place in the same universe as the money-spinning film, or if Whedon will be taking a leaf out of Marvel’s comic-book (ho ho) and pulling some alternate dimension trickery. The show’s title implies it’ll focus on the B-list agency jobbers who clean up after Thor and the Hulk, but it’d be very strange if boss-man, Nick Fury, doesn’t make at least a token appearance, and Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t come cheap.
Production on S.H.I.E.L.D will begin immediately, but there’s no time frame for when the series will reach our televisions. Marvel TV also has a few other comic book-themed projects in development, including a new Hulk series.
Source: Deadline
