Joss Whedon On AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, Idris Elba's Reveal, And Marvel's 'Phase Three' Slate
After addressing Idris Elba's reveal that 'Heimdall' and 'Loki' will appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Whedon dishes on the sequel's current stage, as well as Marvel's 'Phase Three' announcements.
When Vulture spoke with Joss Whedon last night, the Marvel questions kicked off with the Avengers: Age of Ultron writer/director acknowledging Idris Elba's recent reveal that he and 'Loki' actor Tom Hiddleston will both appear in the highly-anticipated Marvel sequel. "Um, should he receive an email from me, there might be an attitude of scold," he said of Elba. "Yeah [Kevin Feige was in touch]... When you have a cast of 19,000 people, inevitably, once every month, you pick up [a story] and you're like, 'Awww.'" The interviewer then informed Joss Whedon of hearing that his script for Age of Ultron is "bananas," to which the director replied: "Well, at this point, I'm still trying to connect those bananas and turn them into a bunch. Yeah, I don't think that banana metaphor is going to go very far [laughs], but it's really fun, honestly. Even while I'm looking at ways in which I messed up, it's fun taking everything and connecting it, finding a way to make something more emotional or funnier or cooler, so I love the work."
Talk then turned to Marvel Studios revealing its Phase Three slate last week at the special press event, which Joss Whedon was in attendance. Asked if it's daunting seeing those movies planned so far in advance, Whedon admits, "You know, it is a little daunting, and you sort of go, [mock-whiny] 'What about my movie? I haven't even been born and you already like my younger siblings better?'" He continued, "But at the same time it's exhilarating. It's really fun to see where Kevin's taking it and to see the workings of that mind. I think it was a very canny and very human move, I really like the slate." The director then revealed that he "sometimes" looks at fan reactions and speculations. "Sometimes it's depressing, sometimes it's enlightening," he said. "Every now and then, you definitely learn something from some random person on the internet who sees your work in a way you didn't, who sees truth in it, that's worth it." Finally, the filmmaker was asked about Mark Ruffalo's future as the Incredible Hulk, given the actor recently admitted he doesn't know how many movies Marvel wants him to be in. "No, I don't [know how many either]," said Whedon. "...These plans become mutable. 'These guys have these rights, oh, now we have these rights. Oh, this guy is now not available.' Again, you're dealing with so many moving parts and so many factors, you just can't really predict much."
Marvel Studios presents Avengers: Age of Ultron, the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to the Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure. Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision. Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963. Get set for an action-packed thrill ride when The Avengers return in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron on May 1, 2015.