Joss Whedon Needed These Three Characters To Have Offscreen Adventures

Joss Whedon Needed These Three Characters To Have Offscreen Adventures

At the press conference for Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and director Joss Whedon discussed maneuvering Phase 2 characters into place for Age of Ultron. One such character was [Spoiler].

By MarkJulian - Apr 12, 2015 02:04 AM EST
Director James Gunn has stated previously that Thanos (Josh Brolin) was a last minute addition to Guardians of the Galaxy and that it was difficult to weave his scenes into the overall tapestry of the film.  During yesterday's press conference for Avengers: Age of Ultron, director Joss Whedon and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige disclosed that 'Guardians' was originally supposed to have even more Thanos.  When asked which specific characters in Phase 2 needed to have offscreen adventures rather than featured roles, Feige and Whedon named Thanos, Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).

Said Feige," As Phase 2 came together, Joss told me that Hulk and Hawkeye needed to have less exposure in the Phase films because he had specific ideas for what he wanted to do with them in [Avengers: Age of Ultron].

Whedon added, "The only other character that falls into that category as well, is Thanos. [But] we felt we needed to thread him in more gently." 

Feige concluded, "Yeah, there was originally more Thanos."

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens in US theaters on May 1.  

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Pinocchio
Pinocchio - 4/12/2015, 3:14 AM
Cool!
Pinocchio
Pinocchio - 4/12/2015, 3:15 AM
More Thanos would have been great!
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 4/12/2015, 3:15 AM
Nah, I still think Hawkeye would've been a great addition to Winter Soldier.
Kurne
Kurne - 4/12/2015, 3:22 AM
"So whedon couldn't manage all the characters, unlike what most everyone would have you believe here."

Not at all what was said.
TheAstoundingMan
TheAstoundingMan - 4/12/2015, 3:31 AM
@batmannightwing

How did you read that from what was written here?
R888
R888 - 4/12/2015, 3:55 AM
@batmannightwing

Are you a troll?
Frshcoupe
Frshcoupe - 4/12/2015, 3:55 AM
Have a feeling we will see some Thanos in Ultron.
GokuSaiyanGodMode
GokuSaiyanGodMode - 4/12/2015, 4:09 AM
or maybe they didn't want to pay Jeremy Renner and it was "Mackie Time"

They Should add Darth Vader in the Next GotG, throw a little force action.

on a side note:

@CherryBomb "Sup Guuurl"
SuperCat
SuperCat - 4/12/2015, 4:11 AM
Sounds like Hawkeye is finally getting some love and attention.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 4/12/2015, 4:15 AM
@GokuSaiyanGodMode
Yo!
MatchesMalone
MatchesMalone - 4/12/2015, 5:02 AM
It seemed kind of obvious to me that Hulk and Hawkeye wouldn't be featured in any of the Phase 2 flicks, and as far as Thanos goes, I say less is more until Infinity War. Hey, that rhymed!

Also, a solo Hewkeye movie would only be cool if they bring in Adrianne Palicki as Mockingbird. I guess that kinda ceases to be a solo movie at that point, but y'all know what I mean.

Wouldn't mind another solo Hulk movie with Ruffalo either.
BlackPhillip
BlackPhillip - 4/12/2015, 5:44 AM
@Batmannightwing

Are you illiterate or something? Whedon said he wanted Hulk and Hawkeye to have off screen adventures in Phase II. That's why we didn't see either of them in any Phase II movies. It has nothing to do with him not being able to handle all the characters.
Null
Null - 4/12/2015, 5:51 AM
Where was the spoiler?
String
String - 4/12/2015, 5:52 AM
I suppose Hawkeye's narrative of not always being available will make sense when AOU comes out. If he was present like the Avengers through Phase 2 then his disappearances wouldn't be significant to Joss' narrative. So Feige's statement does make sense regarding Hawkeye.

Not sure how Hulk and Thanos fit in the way Phase 2 was worked. It is easiler to not incorporate Thanos in more movies just for the fact that the only movie he could appear in was GOTG. I guess I'll get my answer about Hulk in AOU. Perhaps it has to do with his relationship with Black Widow since that happens sometime after the events of Cap 2.
MarkJulian
MarkJulian - 4/12/2015, 6:05 AM
@TheBrownHornet Whedon said he needed these 3 characters doing stuff off screen to position them for Age of Ultron. Since he named Thanos, it's safe to assume he's in the film. Some people don't know that yet.
LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 4/12/2015, 6:29 AM
So you're telling me I could have had a Hulk film but instead Whedon wanted to use him in AOU and give him a relationship with Black Widow which I really hate?

sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 4/12/2015, 6:41 AM
More Thanos is a plus in my book. I'm still hoping we get a Hulk solo movie in Phase 3.
Macksimus
Macksimus - 4/12/2015, 6:43 AM
So, basically he is saying that in AOU we are going to find out what Hawkeye and Hulk were doing between now and Avengers 1.

Hush2010
Hush2010 - 4/12/2015, 6:57 AM
Levi
Why are you so convinced that they will have a romantic relationship in AOU? What I see is that she sees he needs someone to trust and she wants to bond with the person that terrified her so much in the first film. Just cause they are getting intimate emotionally doesn’t mean she’s replacing Betty or that they will be getting married or anything like that. The most I see coming from this is that He will open up to her about what its really like to have the monster inside of him and in turn Hulk will begin to trust Widow and look out for her. She may open up to him about what the red room was like. This is not the end of the Hulk as we know him. In all honesty I think this is a set up for the emotional turn that something will happen to hulk in this movie and someone fresh has to react.
PymParticle
PymParticle - 4/12/2015, 7:07 AM
Thanks Whedon, you hack.

So no Hulk, and also now we know this is the reason Hawkeye was not in TWS (Which didn't make any sense) instead of the lame "scheduling conflict" excuse.
ComicsToFilm
ComicsToFilm - 4/12/2015, 7:10 AM
Seriously though, all to his talk of a need for a SpiderMan film, need for a Black Panther film, and the need for Captain Marvel.

I'm still stuck here whining about how I need a MS Hulk solo film.

Or kill me in my sleep with dreams and give us a Planet Hulk 2 parter.
WinterOstritch
WinterOstritch - 4/12/2015, 7:22 AM
I still would have preferred Hawleye in TWS, but whatever
Parkerluckpersonified
Parkerluckpersonified - 4/12/2015, 8:06 AM
Would love more Hawkeye BUT if we are all right about his wife being a big reveal in this film (an probably dieing) then it makes sense that Whedon didn't want us to know more about him.

Hopefully he will get some Civil War screen time... if it's not all captain america -.-

He would have been the obvious choice to fill the Peter Parker role, had Marvel not acquired the rights
CombatWombat
CombatWombat - 4/12/2015, 8:13 AM
What's with all the Whedon hate...?

"Thanks Whedon you [frick]ing hack, you made Hulk awesome in Avengers and now you're probably gonna make him awesome in the sequel! Ya shithead! >:("

Like, come on. Give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
jeni
jeni - 4/12/2015, 8:21 AM
I don't think this necessarily contradicts the 'scheduling conflict' story that kept Renner out of TWS. I think Whedon didn't want anyone else doing any character development on Hawkeye. What they had proposed was a simple action scene which wouldn't have been a problem if Renner had really wanted to do it, but he is predominantly a character actor and he probably wasn't interested, certainly not enough to pull out of American Hustle or Kill the Messenger.
Mike1100
Mike1100 - 4/12/2015, 8:26 AM
Well I personally am glad Kevin Feige heeded Josh Whedon's call about keeping Hawkeye and Hulk out of Phase 2 until Age of Ultron so that he could play around with those characters more than the other heroes who had entire films of their own.
JamesMann
JamesMann - 4/12/2015, 8:35 AM
So I could of had a Hulk film in Phase 2 so Whedon could do whatever he wanted with him?

*sigh*

I know some of you will bite my head off but it's really hard not to feel salty when someone purposefully stops your favorite Marvel character from having his own movie like all the other major heroes.
bropous
bropous - 4/12/2015, 8:38 AM
@Hush2010: "@Levikutz, Why are you so convinced that they will have a romantic relationship in AOU?"

I may butt in here and make this observation:

Uh, the scene of Bruce and Natasha getting intimate in the kitchen in the previews????

Just sayin'.
CharlesLord
CharlesLord - 4/12/2015, 8:40 AM
One of the early reactions said AoU is hawkeyes movie just like the first Avengers was Caps movie and thats great to hear. So it makes sense that whedon didnt want anyone doin major development of the character. Im still waiting for a hulk movie but maybe his role in AoU really does propel him to be more prominent and get a movie in phase 4?
bropous
bropous - 4/12/2015, 8:44 AM
Thanos is the unifying thread throughout the entire series of films, him and his quest to secure the Infinity Gems for the Gauntlet.

I just don't get people who complain he should not have been included.

It's like the folks who whine and bitch about Agents of SHIELD. That show is ALSO a unifying thread for the films, on a different level.

It's all connected in the Marvel Cinematic and Television Universe. And, now, we add Daredevil (a show I just wasn't in the corner for originally, but am looking forward to see) to the entire connected stable.

Kevin Feige is a multi-BILLION dollar GENIUS.

The Elon Musk of comic book lore. Second only to Mister Stan Lee.
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