Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is upon us, and we’ve got what is likely the last poster and few juicy details you’ll require before the series premiere on September 24.
Producers Joss Whedon and Jeph Loeb answered a few final questions about the show’s link to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the pilot was shown in full at the Television Critics Association event over the weekend.
First, Whedon seemed to suggest that there was some contention between himself and ABC execs over the show’s content. It sounds like they hired him to be Joss Whedon, but then they were worried that he wouldn’t be Joss Whedon.
“Honestly their biggest note after we presented the thing was, they wanted to make sure our investment in the characters and their interaction was as big as the case of the week. Which is how I’ve done all of my shows. I was told NOT to learn a new skill.”
Second, fans are still guessing over how much Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will share with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whedon and Loeb confirmed yet again that the show shares the same continuity with the films.
“There will be as much as we can allow…. We’re still working that out. We don’t just want to be an Easter egg farm…. This show has to work for people who haven’t seen the movies,” said Whedon.
“Marvel is one universe, what’s important is character,” added Loeb.
Speaking of character, any chance that the Avengers themselves will make TV appearances?
“I’m not going to go begging, and I’m not going to use up favors I need for The Avengers 2. As I say, the DNA of the show is the show. Those guys would be a delightful bonus, but we’re not building our arcs around them,” Whedon said.
But even if they do show up, Whedon stressed once again that they’ll just be cameos and that he doesn’t want A-list star power to distract from the characters on the show.
“The good thing about the [‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’] universe is that [The Avengers are] superstars in that universe. So if they showed up, if they overbalanced it slightly, that would actually make sense. That’s how people would react to them in the universe of the show, so I don’t think that’s problem. I do think it’s a problem if you have them too regularly and people are just wondering, ‘When do I get to see a movie star again?’ Instead of concentrating on these guys.”
Whedon has a full plate with Avengers 2: Age of Ultron in the works, so some have wondered how much he will be able to commit to the show. Though he admitted that he probably won’t be sitting in the director’s chair beyond the pilot, he will still have a heavy role in the show.
“I’m reading every script, every story, and giving notes and re-writes. I just can’t be in the room every day. The group I have shares this hard-to-convey idea of how I want the show to feel,” Whedon said.
Are you excited for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Check out the new poster below:
