Joss Whedon has finally confirmed one of the worst kept secrets of the year — the fact that he will be directing The Avengers, Marvel Studios’ upcoming superhero team-up movie.
Although Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, has been rumored since April to be directing the film, there had been no official comment from the director or Marvel Studios. In the months since the rumor first surfaced, the fact that Whedon would be filming the movie next year essentially became assumption — nobody even batted an eye when Ed Norton’s agent confirmed the actor had met with Whedon in regards to the upcoming superhero movie.
On Thursday in San Diego at the Entertainment Weekly-hosted Comic-Con panel featuring Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams, the news was finally confirmed with the director talking a bit about his plans for the movie.
Other news that was covered at the panel includes:
- Whedon noted that he is outlining a script for the Avengers movie — suggesting that writer Zak Penn’s draft is either being heavily re-written or just plain tossed out. Whedon cited his history as a script-doctor as preparation for blending the different tones of Marvel’s superhero films into one movie.
- Abrams offered no information on whether or not he would return to direct the sequel to Star Trek. The fact that Abrams will start directing Super 8, his upcoming alien movie produced by Steven Spielberg, in September and actor Bruce Greenwood revealed the next Star Trek film would begin filming in January leads one to believe a new director will take over the franchise.
- Abrams confirmed Super 8 will not be in 3D while Whedon is uncertain if the perpetually unreleased Cabin in the Woods would be released in 3D — even after it was pushed back from its original release date earlier this year to be converted in post-production.
- Whedon and Co. apparently have an idea for a sequel to their internet smash Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog but other projects have kept them too busy to begin production on it.
Look for more news about the Marvel Universe on film tomorrow night when Marvel Studios invades Hall H for a panel with special guests (hint: probably the cast of The Avengers).
