‘The Avengers’ Writer/Director Joss Whedon Talks About His Creative Control At Marvel

With Marvel recently signing a deal with Joss Whedon to return for ‘The Avengers 2′ as well as both help develop a live-action ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ series for Marvel Television at ABC, and contribute creatively to the next phase of Marvel’s cinematic universe, The Huffington Post spoke to the filmmaker while he was out and about promoting his (sort of) modern-day Shakespeare adaptation ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’ In the interview, Whedon was asked about his “power” over at Marvel considering this new deal, “I have some power, you know? I think there’s a level of trust. You know, Kevin Feige and I have always had mutual respect, and on the first movie he was very supportive. But there were definitely things where they were like, “Hmm, we don’t see that.” And I think now Kevin’s in a place where it would be more like, “We don’t see it, but we think you do.”

Considering the humongous success of his ‘The Avengers’ movie, Joss Whedon answered the question, “Like, “We can’t argue with the way the last one did”?” With, “Yeah. And that doesn’t mean they’re just going to roll over and I’m going to say, “Oh, it’s ‘Great Lakes Avengers’ and we’re going to get Squirrel Girl and you’re gonna love it.” You know, they need to believe. But all I want to do is make the movie that they want. And so it’s been great. We’re having that same kind of, “What if? Oh, and what if?” And “I was thinking it would be funny … ooh ooh ooh.” There’s definitely a level of earned trust, but as with any good studio head or producer, that doesn’t mean a free pass.”

Widely praised by fans and critics alike, Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ is currently sitting comfortably at the third spot on the all-time world box office list with a hefty haul of $1,507.4 billion, trailing only James Cameron’s ’Titanic’ ($2.185 billion) and ‘Avatar’ ($2.782 billion). Joss Whedon’s tentatively-titled ‘The Avengers 2′ will follow ’Iron Man 3,’ ‘Thor: The Dark World,’ ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and presumably hopefully Edgar Wright’s ‘Ant-Man.’ Marvel Studios has set a May 1st, 2015 release date for ‘The Avengers 2.’

Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in ‘Iron Man,’ ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ ‘Iron Man 2,’ ‘Thor,’ and ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,’ the global box office for ‘The Avengers’ has obliterated the totals of those individual films. The totals for those preceding films are: ‘Iron Man’ with $585.1 million worldwide, ‘The Incredible Hulk’ with $263.4 million worldwide, ’Iron Man 2′ with $623.9 million worldwide, ’Thor’ with $449.3 million worldwide, and finally ‘Captain America’ with $368.6 million worldwide. Directed by Joss Whedon, ‘The Avengers’ (‘Avengers Assemble’ in the UK) stars Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye/Clint Barton), Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man/Tony Stark), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Chris Evans (Captain America/Steve Rogers), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki). The likes of Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, and Stellen Skarsgard co-star.

’The Avengers’ is available as a 2D Blu-ray Combo Pack, a 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack and on DVD from September 17th in the UK and September 25th in the US. The synopsis and production notes for Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ can be read below. My interviews for the film can be found here: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner,  and Joss Whedon.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, “Marvel’s The Avengers” brings together the mightiest super hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time. The star studded cast of super heroes will be joined by Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother) as Agent Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as Tom Hiddleston (“Wallander”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Angels & Demons,” “Mamma Mia!”) who will both reprise their respective roles as Loki and Professor Erik Selvig from the upcoming Marvel Studios’ feature “Thor.”

Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the super hero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. 

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Patty Whitcher, and Jon Favreau. Marvel Studios’ Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso will co-produce.

The creative production team also includes Oscar nominated director of photography Seamus McGarvey (“Atonement”), production designer James Chinlund (“25th Hour”), Oscar winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”), Oscar winning visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs (“Iron Man 2,” “The Matrix”), visual effects producer Susan Pickett (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2″), stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell (“Superman Returns”), and four-time Oscar nominated special effects supervisor Dan Sudick (“Iron Man,” “War of the Worlds”). The editors include Oscar nominated Paul Rubell (“Collateral”) and Jeffrey Ford (“Crazy Heart”).