Avengers helmer Joss Whedon has spent the last two years writing and directing a much-anticipated sequel under immense pressure. The job has left him exhausted, and he’s ready for a vacation. Nevertheless, the expectations of a billion-dollar franchise still loom over his head.
“I feel like I’ve spent my entire career being bred for this job,” he says. “I directed TV shows and a movie about superhero teams. I’ve written Marvel comics. It’s not such a surprise to me as it seems to be to everybody else.”
Whedon always worked best when given autonomy over his creations, the most famous one being Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But the tricky transition to work on the Marvel Universe? Whedon says: “You’re subservient to the process and it can be very gruelling, but we go in with an understanding that this is going to be a ‘Joss Whedon Marvel film’. It’s going to reek of my sweat and my blood by the time it’s done, so it doesn’t feel like it’s in service of anything except the narrative, which is my own creation.”
The geek god has not disappointed. What Whedon achieved with The Avengers was remarkable. He might be tired, but with the hotly anticipated sequel coming up, Whedon’s headaches are far from over.
