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Beyond reviewing the movies, I try not to report on too much Marvel news around here. I’m a big comics geek, so I could easily talk for ages about the company. Marvel’s only owned by Disney; the news isn’t directly related to the House of Mouse, even if it is technically a member now.
Yet, I just can’t resist this latest piece of news about the Marvel movie franchise. “Avengers” director/co-writer Joss Whedon is back to take up both of the same mantels for the sequel, due in 2015. For the average movie or Disney fan, this might not seem like that big of a deal.
But we Marvel fans know how much it is. Joss Whedon is a beloved figure in genre media, creating fantastic shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly,” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” Even people who didn’t know anything about Whedon before going into “Avengers” can surely see how exciting it is that he’s in charge of the second flick.
In “Avengers” Whedon accomplished something that might have been impossible for others: he created a layered film that gave each of the seven super personalities a moment to shine. The “Avengers” sequel is surely going to add even more characters, even if it’s just one or two (or introducing a new villain), so it’s reassuring to know that such a deft hand will be once again steering the movie.
After the smash critical and commercial success of “Avengers” there was little chance of Whedon not being asked back for the sequel. Marvel has been known to switch directors, but as long as the movies do well it tends to ask back the original directors first. So the real question hinged on whether or not Whedon, who’s always busy with a variety of projects, would accept.
The real interesting piece of news that emerged–announced by Bob Iger at a conference call with Disney investors–is that Whedon is not just on board for an “Avengers” sequel. He’s also been contracted to help put together a live-action Marvel show for the Disney-owned ABC. This is in addition to “Avengers Assemble,” a new animated series they’re making to replace the recently-cancelled “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” I’m of two minds on this. I trust Whedon more than any other television show runner, given his track record. But I’m also worried about oversaturating the Marvel market.
Of course, there are ways to do this. The show could develop minor characters (fan favorite S.H.I.E.D. agent Phil Coulson comes to mind) in the Marvel Universe, who can then appear in movies without as much time needed to introduce them. It could be good or bad, but given Whedon’s involvement, for now put me down in the cautious optimism camp.
Aiding my above theory is the further news that Whedon has been tapped to be one of the general creative forces behind the next stage of the Marvel movie universe. That means that he might get some input on where the universe is going to go, even with movies that aren’t his. That really leads me to think that Marvel might use this television show to expand or introduce characters from or in the movies.
This story shows us just how much Disney is willing to invest in Marvel. Bob Iger announced the news himself, which means he has some personal interest in the projects (even if it’s just fiscal interest). Although I’m suspicious of Iger’s obsession with franchising, I’ve also loved just about every major Marvel comic book movie since “Iron Man.” As long as they keep hiring people like Whedon, I’m totally in.
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*(This image by popculturegeek is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
