This is a nice little surprise, if everything pans out.
It seems that ABC has ordered a pilot for S.H.I.E.L.D, a live action series from Joss Whedon, Marvel TV, and ABC Studios. As you may already know, S.H.I.E.L.D is a running connection through most Marvel films having anything to do with THE AVENGERS. The group stands for Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate or Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Nick Fury serves as director and recruiter for THE AVENGERS project. Other S.H.I.E.L.D members that you’ve already seen include Maria Hill and Phil Coulson.
The S.H.I.E.L.D series will be written by Whedon as well as frequent collaborators, his brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen. Joss will also direct the pilot as long as he can find the time in his schedule. Production is set to start immediately since it has already been greenlit. Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Tancharoen executive produce with Jeffrey Bell and Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb.
This idea has been in works for awhile now. Disney CEO Bob Iger had announced earlier in the month that Whedon was set for an exclusive film and TV deal, we just didn’t have the specifics on the TV portion.
Nice to have Whedon back for some quality television, but how are they going to work out characters that have already appeared in Marvel films? Will Samuel L. Jackson make guest appearances? What about Cobie Smulders, who made a terrific Maria Hill? I guess we will find out soon enough.