joss whedon
Showing that they were anxious to pass the Hollywood IQ test about spinning off a popular movie into a TV show run by an experienced TV vet who also directed the popular movie, ABC has ordered a pilot for a SHIELD TV show, to be guided by AVENGERS director Joss Whedon, Deadline reports. Whedon will co-write the pilot along with brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen (who is Jed’s wife). This is the trio responsible for Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, and other Whedon-verse projects, so get ready to start that letter writing campaign right now.

While, to paraphrase one Deadline commenter, nerd-boners approached apogee at this news of a TV show covering the Marvel Universe’s espionage and adventure arm, there was nerd sorrow over the idea that Nick Fury would not be a recurring character, since Samuel L. Jackson will probably not want to do a weekly TV show, should this pilot get picked up—and Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill is also locked down on How I Met Your Mother.

To which we reply, it’s so sad that Whedon and his team have no experience creating vibrant, much loved TV characters. Back to apogee!

Whedon recently signed a long term deal with Disney/Marvel, which will see him developing film and TV series at the studio through 2015’s AVENGERS 2. Although directing that blockbuster will be time consuming, Whedon definitely has some time to throw together a TV show befire then.

Although many Marvel shows have been kicking around in development, including the Hulk and a failed Jessica Jones show, this is the first to go to pilot.

1 COMMENT

  1. It looks like How I Met Your Mother is ending this year, or if not most assuredly next year (last year they said he’s married with a kid 3 years from then) So the odds are by the time this really ramps up Cobie will be free.

    Personally I’d love to see this revolve around Jake Fury working in deep cover in the zodiac gang.

  2. I realize it’s an industry term, and based on the notion of like ordering something in the mail, but every time I see where a network has “ordered” a pilot it always sounds to me like a general or king “ordering” someone to do something.

    “You will make me a SHIELD show. Now!”

  3. I could see something like Powers+X-Files being cool.

    Or a workplace comedy about low level agents could be cool.

    Or an Agent Coulson centric show (somehow)

    So many ways to go. With Whedon at the helm it could be awesome.

  4. “Or a workplace comedy about low level agents could be cool.”

    Yeah, like the IT guys of SHIELD. Or the they could do a ultra violent version following Garrett, Chastity McBryde and Perry in their younger days before the events of Elektra: Assassin.

  5. while having a shield tv show would be cool ‘n all, my question is: will it be filled with all new characters or will already established characters (including many of the street level super heroes) from the books be making appearances. i’m rooting for the latter, ’cause a shield show with j.sitwell, the contessa (sorry, don’t have the time to type out her full name), james woo, dum dum dugan (maybe the great grandson of), gabe jones, clay quartermain, and sharon carter, along with characters like luke cage , shang chi, the shroud, iron fist, paladin, and silver sable would make this show a whole hell of a lot more interesting.

  6. I haven’t read the Ultimate line of comics in years, but was it ever established that Nick Fury/Samuel L Jackson-version served in World War II and/or ever had a Howling Commandoes-type unit under his command?

  7. Jack –

    From the continuity that serves for the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Hereos animated show mentions that Nick Fury’s dad, Jack served with Captain America during WWII.

    ~

    Coat