In addition to
discussing a certain Russian spy and her archering partner, in the latest issue of Aussie magazine
FilmInk, the director & writer of Marvel's
The Avengers, Joss Whedon, elaborated on his approach to such a large project among other things. With a comment from Marvel Studios' head honcho Kevin Feige, read on below!
"I had meetings with Joss Whedon in 2001 to direct Iron Man, back when the project was with another studio," says Feige. "That's how long ago we've been fans of Joss, and how we believe in what he could do behind the camera of a big movie." He added, "We have a lot of characters, but it's not too much. It's the exact right amount to tell the original story of the formation of The Avengers."
When it comes to juggling big characters action set pieces, and quiet character moments, Joss Whedon claims that he's solved the problem.
"The movie is nine hours long," he deadpans. The director goes on to add that the reason he jumped on board with Marvel was because of the perspicacious casting that was already in place. "They cast people who are actors so people watch them act, so you want to have these quieter moments." he explains. The tension between those scenes and the momentum of the film is ultimately what is going to make the film exciting, but it's going to make the editing processs unbearable."
Whedon was then asked about wrangling so many major movie star egos, and how he delivers his characteristic quip.
"'Are they happily engaged or just in a cage?' I'm leading them just when they are about to die of starvation; that way, they're more pliable stockholm syndrome, that's the only way to go," he jokes. "Honestly, they all came in with extraordinary positive attitudes, not just about the projects, but about each other, and they're very conscious of what everybody else is doing."
The director then went to discuss how he strives to preserve an environment where his actors feel safe to create.
"I want them to feel that they can go too far and try something different, and they know that I won't make them look like an idiot by actually using any of that footage," Whedon reveals. "So long as the script makes some semblance of sense, we get along just fine. All of them had their input to the degree that they wanted it. It's been a real collaborates from the ground up, so that set the tone from the start. I was like, 'I know exactly what I want, if you tell me what you want, we can usually do both.'"
Joss then discussed two stars from the film - Samuel L. Jackson & Mark Ruffalo.
"I wanted Mark Ruffalo to play Bruce Banner because he's just an open book," says Joss Whedon. "He lets you into his heart and you understand everything that he's feeling. He's very open and that's just who he is as a guy and how he performs."
And "Sam Jackson? He's Sam Jackson. I'm sorry!," exclaims Whedon. "He's got that piercing look, but in my movie, he can only pin you to the wall with one eye. At the same time, he's extremely sensitive and textured and that's what I wanted from Nick Fury. I didn't want him to be a bluster, because we've seen that."
For even more from Whedon and the cast, be sure to pick up the latest January/February 2012 Filmink issue. What do you think?
Marvel's The Avengers is the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. 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. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner with Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Hiddleston, directed by Joss Whedon, Marvel's The Avengers will be released May 4, 2012.