Joss Whedon’s guiding star for Avengers: Age of Ultron is Godfather II

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

The GODFATHER resurgence is here. The franchise directed by Francis Ford Coppola is a classic for many, and a playbook for some. James Cameron recently said that the AVATAR quad would be Godfather-esque. Now Joss Whedon has title dropped the film as a source of constant inspiration for THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.

During an interview with French film site AlloCiné.fr, the director was asked what the effects would be on the superhero ensemble sequel after the release of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER:

“The events of Captain America [The Winter Soldier] will definitely affect the world of Avengers 2. But at the end of the day, I have to make my movie assuming that people will only have seen the first one, or possibly not even seen the first one. I can’t assume that everybody went to see Thor [The Dark World], Captain America, and Iron Man 3 in-between. I have to go from one movie to the next and be true to what’s happened [in the previous movies], but not be slavish to it. […] The model I’m always trying to build from, or my guiding star, is The Godfather: Part II where a ton has happened in-between and it’s a very different movie [from Part I], but you don’t need any information. It’s there in the film about what’s happened since, what’s different, and why is this a different film; why is it a different kind of structure, and why is it darker. It’s all there, you’re in the vernacular of the first movie and you’re just ready to pick up in this new place, and hopefully that’s what will happen with my movie. Obviously I’m talking about one of the greatest films ever made (The Godfather: Part II)… I hope mine will be good, but that is my guiding star.”

With sequelitis looming, it’s certainly not a bad star to follow. We knew the tone of the film would be darker but still retain the humor that kept the action-heavy film lightweight. While Whedon has never had to deal with blockbuster sequels, he has maintained popular television shows over the years, so I think he’s got it in the bag. Here’s hoping…