Coming off the box office highs (and lows) of what was undoubtably The Summer of Avengers, Marvel isn’t ready to relinquish its hold on audiences quite yet. No doubt, many of us are perfectly willing to keep the summer party going just a little bit longer. The comic -and now film- juggernaut has announced an extended release of The Avengers through Labor Day on its website. Consider it a last hurrah to tide us over until the studio’s already-in-shooting Phase 2 begins in May 2013 with Iron Man 3, followed by Thor: The Dark World, (the latter of already has mysterious set photos up and circulating). Get your big-screen kicks while you can, fans, and remember; it’s a Marvel superhero movie, stay after the credits. All the credits.
Meanwhile, over at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ…we mean Joss Whedon‘s camp… nah, we mean S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ, things are looking pretty lively.
MTV has a quick-fire smattering of statements from a formerly taciturn Whedon on the film’s alternate opening that’s surfaced online, his new deal with Marvel, which includes consulting on Phase 2 projects, sequel plans, and a lending a hand on the greenlit S.H.I.E.L.D. television show. For audiences worried that the director might be spreading himself too thin, Whedon reassures that his deal is loose enough that he can back off of branch commitments to focus on The Avengers sequel, if need be. As Whedon told MTV:
What’s great is that the deal with Marvel is nonspecific, so I will give all I can, but the moment I can’t, I just walk away. The moment I say, ‘You know, I’d like to help more on this project, but I need this time for The Avengers,’ there’s no obligation. It’s not like, ‘You must spend this amount of time on this movie.’ It’s as much as it needs to be.
No matter what level of involvement, it’s probably fair to say we’re all glad that Whedon’s staying on board as the franchise heads forward.
(via Marvel and MTV Splash Page.)
