Joss Whedon Officially Quits the Marvel Cinematic Universe

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

Well, I really liked his two entries in the MCU, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm hyped as fuck to see what the Russo brothers can do after the sterling entry that was Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Provided the rumour that they're directing Infinity War is true of course.

 

[The Enquirer]

So he's free for Serenity 2? I follow half the actors on Twitter and given their affection for the series they sound like they'd all come back (even Alan, somehow).

Without getting into spoilers, in the Serenity comics he is there for flashbacks and PTSD induced hallucinations. I'd be thrilled if we got another movie for that.

OT: So is he done with Agents of Shield now too?

 

[P-89 Scorpion]

Does this mean we can get an Avengers team up movie with actual dialog not consisting entirely on witty quips? I mean, I love the guy. But while he's great in small doses his big work kind of falls apart when it needs to be something more than just casually entertaining.

He's directed two movies out of the twelve currently out, let's not pretend he's some cornerstone of the franchise. With Civil War basically being a small-scale Avenger's movie, let's see how a non-Whedon director/writer handles the inter-character dialog and relationships.

We will have to see if the Russo's can make Civil war how they want without too much Disney interference and then maybe the Infinity war two party will be good. AoU was fucked over by Disney/Marvel and there setups for the next phase rather than allowing it to be a coherent film.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

There were three great marvel movies. Iron Man 1, Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

The rest ranged from good enough to be enjoyable but forgettable (Thor 1, Avengers 1, Cap 1), to meh (Thor 2, Ant Man, Avengers 2), to cringybad (Iron Man 2 and 3). Iron Man 2 unforgivably wasted Mickey Roarke compared to how he awesome he was in Sin City or Immortals.

The Marvel TV series' are really good though (Agent Carter and Agents of Shield season 1 being the exceptions). I particularly liked the last Agents of SHIELD season and was surprised something that interesting (and dark) could make it on network TV.

I predict not much will change for the movies but I hope AoS can keep up the quality.

 

[Raika]

He's an Abrams-esque hack who can't make anything new or innovative, but can easily make something functional/solid.
Unlike Abrams though, his direction isn't quite as solid, but his fanbase is far more rabid.
He shouldn't have been put in charge in the first place, but now that he's leaving halfway in it's going to be problematic.

I agree with your first two points, but respectfully disagree with the third. Joss Whedon isn't particularly distinctive as a writer or a director, and as such I think he can be replaced more or less effortlessly. I can think of a writer/director off the top of my head: Christopher McQuarrie.

McQuarrie's work on Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation, an excellent and callously underrated action film (and a much better movie than any MCU effort so far except maybe the Captain America flicks), proves that he can handle the quick pace and action/comedy style of writing and direction that Whedon insists he invented. Now, I personally would rather see McQuarrie just do another Mission: Impossible, because I love those movies and the MCU lost its appeal long before Rogue Nation stole my heart for the fifth time in a series with as many movies. He could do it, though. He'd make a better Avengers flick than fucking Joss Whedon.

Can Joss Whedon just crybaby himself into quitting writing entirely? I'm sure that he could set up a Patreon for sitting on his ass and doing nothing, and his fans would ensure he'd be a millionaire well into his eighties.

 

[Vanilla ISIS]

From what I know, he worked overtime and had a lot of sleepless nights when making those movies.
In his interviews after finishing AoU, he looked terrible, like a vampire started to drink his blood but stopped halfway.
Then, right after the movie came out, a lot of people started to talk shit about him.

I think he wants and needs a break.

 

[CommanderL]

Sounds like somebody was being a total Sensitive Joss Whedon <.< *crowd boos*

Nah, can't have much sympathy for him; if the movies suddenly start sucking, maybe I can be like "I miss Joss Whedon". Probably not even then <_<.

In regards to directors, I'm more worried about J.J. Abrams not being the director of the next Star Wars movie, since he did a good job and there aren't any non-J.J Abrams Disney Star Wars movies yet to know whether the Director mattered.

But they've shown they can make good Marvel Movies without Whedon, so this isn't too big a deal to me.

J.J is staying on as an advisor to the next director

who is Rian Johnson, rian Johnson is also writting the script

Rian Johnson should be able to nail it he has the pedigree for it

 

[sonicneedslovetoo]

Didn't the studio execs force him to put in some kind of thor lightning orgasm scene that made no sense and people hated and threatened to take out actual character development if he didn't put it in there?
I mean with people like THAT working above you there is only so much anybody can take at once could you imagine thats the only incident we heard about, I cannot imagine what other shit they forced him to do.

 

[ThatOtherGirl]

This isn't very surprising. Directors tend to not like working for the Marvel machine because it is, by design, not their thing. By the nature of the project directors get a lot less input and creative freedom. It is more like a TV show with very long episodes and bigger budgets, so directors are on a much shorter leash than with a normal movie.

This is why many directors are constantly accusing the thing of being creatively bankrupt, because so much of what is normally their creative domain is taken from them and put in the hands of other people. But really, it is no wore than a typical TV show.

 

[stormtrooper9091]

hey I know, let's blame the SJWs for this, that will make everything right

seriously, this isn't surprising, times are changing

 

[The Great JT]

so is this going to be like a Jack Kirby thing? is he going to go to Warner Bros. and help make their DC movies awesome and get them back on track.

Dare I dream of a Whedon-helmed New Gods movie?

I seriously hope that happens.

 

[Ralancian]

He's an Abrams-esque hack who can't make anything new or innovative, but can easily make something functional/solid.

Sorry how old were you in 1997? Because BtVS was incredibly new and innovative at the time. Sure times have moved on a lot since then but at the time it was major deal and there was nothing really like it on television.

Abrams on the other hand your entirely right about, Whedon earned his credit though.

 

[Clankenbeard]

His scripts have too much... 'snark'? I do need to get around to watching Cabin in the Woods though.

Yes you do. It is a movie that spoofs the whole genre.

Also, Joss is one helluva actor when given the "right" script. For this 4-minute monster film he insisted on no "squat double":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef2wnLL1s00

 

[deadish]

So Disney got greed, trying to push multiple IPs at a time and forced Joss to cramp them into the movies making the movies difficult to write well.

Not surprising. It's Disney.

JJ isn't directing the next Star Wars, wonder if Disney's corporate culture has anything to do with it.

 

[Sylveria]

"I fucking have no spine or self-identity or anything, and it's horrifying." This is entirely true, but it has nothing to do with his involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I think its hilarious that, after Age of Ultron, everyone, from the hardcore Marvel fans to the socialist-feminists he licks boot for wanted his privileged, white male bits in a salad shooter.

 

[Sylveria]

Him. Whedon. Mr. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Had never done anything pro-woman.

When do you start offering up examples of Mr. Nuffy offering up something pro-woman?

I'm really baffled when people call Buffy a pro-woman series. She's basically the definition of the "Fighting Fucktoy" trope as his BFF Anita would discuss. A tremendous amount of her character is centered around the quest for the D. Heck the first 3 seasons are almost wholey based around it. She was an incredibly weak character outside of her physicality and even that is frequently undermined.

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm really baffled when people call Buffy a pro-woman series. She's basically the definition of the "Fighting Fucktoy" trope as his BFF Anita would discuss. A tremendous amount of her character is centered around the quest for the D. Heck the first 3 seasons are almost wholey based around it. She was an incredibly weak character outside of her physicality and even that is frequently undermined.

Basically, yeah. Buffy is a pretty weak and ineffectual character, and when people say she's a "strong woman," I tend to believe they're talking solely about her physical strength. Which is about as uncommon in the show as snarky comments, and it seems like we see a lot more men with super-strength anyway.

But this is pretty much par for the course with Joss Whedon women. I actually think he thinks he's being positive, too. Like that episode of the Simpsons where Mr. Burns learns about recycling.

Sorry how old were you in 1997?

I was 17 when Buffy came out. Can you tell me what you think was so innovative for the time so I have some frame of reference? I mean, I know Joss Whedon claimed he was doing new things and a lot of people listened, but I'm pretty sure only Jedi can proclaim they have the high ground and make it so.

 

[Ralancian]

I'm really baffled when people call Buffy a pro-woman series. She's basically the definition of the "Fighting Fucktoy" trope as his BFF Anita would discuss. A tremendous amount of her character is centered around the quest for the D. Heck the first 3 seasons are almost wholey based around it. She was an incredibly weak character outside of her physicality and even that is frequently undermined.

Basically, yeah. Buffy is a pretty weak and ineffectual character, and when people say she's a "strong woman," I tend to believe they're talking solely about her physical strength. Which is about as uncommon in the show as snarky comments, and it seems like we see a lot more men with super-strength anyway.

But this is pretty much par for the course with Joss Whedon women. I actually think he thinks he's being positive, too. Like that episode of the Simpsons where Mr. Burns learns about recycling.

Sorry how old were you in 1997?

I was 17 when Buffy came out. Can you tell me what you think was so innovative for the time so I have some frame of reference? I mean, I know Joss Whedon claimed he was doing new things and a lot of people listened, but I'm pretty sure only Jedi can proclaim they have the high ground and make it so.

Here's a better question name me a show that was anything like it before it came out?

Yes Buffy is hardly a shining example of a strong character she spends a lot of time screwing up like an actual human being. However that's kind of the point of the show she's someone who doesn't need a man to fight her battles but that doesn't mean she isn't human and prone to mistakes. The show blended sci-fi/fantasy tropes and spent a fair bit of time subverting them. Added into the fact the pop-culture references and genuine humour and it was a fairly unique offering. I'd still prefer more Buffy's in this world for young female teenagers then Rey's (stupidly competent character who are brilliant at everything they try) and Bella's (it's okay to totally rely on men for everything and nothing else matters). Buffy nicely fits between the two which is also a far more realistic interpretation of a teenage girl.

Anyway better question you accused Whedon of beng derivative how about you tell how he is rather than me just defend an accusation? What before 1997 was anything like Buffy (Xena is the closest I can think of and they're not really the same). However you can probably list shows post Buffy that resemble it and clearly based on the same mold.