Check out a recent Q&A video interview with Joss Whedon and the Oxford Union.
Whedon tackles the fact that he is not working with Marvel anymore, comments on it being said he regretted that Coulson was brought back, talks his reaction to The Avengers: Age Of Ultron criticism, and more.
Regarding the fact that he is all done with Marvel, Whedon offers (10:25 mark):
Will you have any involvement in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Whedon: No. You know I was their sort of conciliary for a while… We do not discuss our thing… [audience laughter] But, I sort of had my finger in all of the films in the second phase, but then I just had to concentrate only on Ultron, and sort of know when it was done I was just going to stop. So I made a completely clean break – not because we had a falling out – just because I was like, “I can’t…” If I was still there going, “Well, here are my thoughts on this film,” I’d be there every day. I wouldn’t do anything else because there are a lot of films, and it is a lot of fun. It’s very seductive. When you can put your little fairy dust on things and just improve them slighty, and they actually listen to you… I was a script doctor for a long time, and the part where they listen to you was very rare; so it was very important for my own self to go “we can still be friends,” but…
Regarding the thought of regretting Coulson’s death (11:28 mark):
You know who loved hearing that was Clark Gregg [audience laughter]. He was super thrilled. I do think that there is an element for somebody who consumes all the Marvel product that it might take the punch out, but generally I feel like the SHIELD audience and The Avengers audiences are not actually the same group, necessarily. No, I don’t regret bringing back Phil Coulson because he’s Clark Gregg, and he’s so bad ass.
That was an aspect of it that became a headline in the internet, because that’s what they do. It was sort of, “Oh, that’s the meanest thing he’s said, let’s use that.” You have to go, “Well, okay, if you take it back in TV, does it take it back in film?” That was the the thing, because it came from, “Why wasn’t he in the second film?” I’m like, “Because I have time to explain that [sarcasm].” It’s like, “In addition to introducing nineteen new characters, this [snaps finger] guy’s alive again .” I couldn’t do that, so… It’s an aspect of it, but it’s a small one. It’s not how I feel about it.
Regarding The Avengers: Age Of Ultron criticism (56:00 mark):
Ultron has been the most complicated response I’ve gotten, and the way I deal with it is becoming fetal for about eight months [audience laughter]. I f—ing have no spine or self-identity or anything, and it’s horrifying. It sucks… But I’ll be okay… Later…
(video has been removed)
