Joss Whedon's S.H.I.E.L.D to ABC!

[Turtletrekker]

S.H.I.E.L.D. to start shooting in January.

I hope that, for the pilot at least, they spring for a movie name or two. If Nick Fury or Tony Stark appeared in the pilot, they'd make a chunk of the budget back in the DVD/Blu-Ray sales alone.

ETA: If they are to explain away Coulson's survival (and I realize that his survival is still actually just an assumption) bringing in SLJ for a cameo would seem a natural fit.

[arch101]

I could see RD Jr doing a cameo appearance as Stark. I don't think he'd be above a TV appearance to help the larger franchise. No IM, just one or two Stark scenes.

[Skywalker]

I can see Jackson making a brief appearance in the pilot for the same reason. But he'll probably be too busy featuring in every single other movie that's currently in production.

[Ethros]

I'm sure probably Coulson will "come back from the dead," but could this not be a prequel set before the Avengers maybe?
Is he to be in every episode as a regular, or just the pilot?

[Christopher]

Ethros wrote:

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I'm sure probably Coulson will "come back from the dead," but could this not be a prequel set before the Avengers maybe?
Is he to be in every episode as a regular, or just the pilot?

I read an item saying that some comment had been made that ambiguously implied that he might only be in the pilot. But I'm skeptical of that, since Whedon's words when Gregg's involvement was announced were, "He's headlining the S.H.I.E.L.D. show and always was." "Headlining" means having the lead role, not making a cameo in the pilot.

[Turtletrekker]

In the article above, they quote the release saying that "the series" will center on Coulson, not just the pilot.

[DEWLine]

Seeing as they're hoping to start lensing in January, should we take that as meaning that the casting's just about done?

[Christopher]

DEWLine wrote:

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Seeing as they're hoping to start lensing in January, should we take that as meaning that the casting's just about done?

I've seen instances where casting can go right up to the wire. For instance, Benedict Cumberbatch and Noel Clarke weren't announced as cast members of Star Trek Into Darkness until eight days before principal photography began. Casting announcements for Whedon's Dollhouse mostly came out in the last month before pilot filming began.

[DarKush]

Regarding Coulson, does anyone know if the SHIELD show will be a prequel to the Avengers movie?

[The Wormhole]

DarKush wrote:

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Regarding Coulson, does anyone know if the SHIELD show will be a prequel to the Avengers movie?

A prequel unnecessarily limits story possiblities. And before anyone starts, I am not trying to criticize the concept of prequels, which I believe have their place as a legitimate storytelling option. However, in the case of this SHIELD series, I think having it set before the Avengers movie limits the story possibilities and that setting it after frees things up and allows the show to go in any potential direction.

[DarKush]

^
I don't disagree, but having it as a prequel makes coming up with some fantastical excuse for Coulson headlining it moot.

And while I agree with you in general about how limiting prequels can be, I think this project could also be limited if it runs concurrent to the Marvel films because it could be hemmed in by the events or potential events of those films. Similar to how the Superman Returns and Dark Knight folks influenced Smallville, this might also happen to SHIELD.

[Christopher]

DarKush wrote:

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^
I don't disagree, but having it as a prequel makes coming up with some fantastical excuse for Coulson headlining it moot.

There doesn't have to be a fantastical excuse. People in real life have survived comparable impalement injuries if they got medical treatment in time. And we didn't actually see Coulson's death; it was announced off-camera by Fury, a character that we know for a fact was willing to lie in order to manipulate the Avengers' emotions. So there could be a perfectly naturalistic explanation for Coulson's survival, the seeds for which were already planted in the film itself.

[DEWLine]

True, that.

[DarKush]

Christopher wrote:

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There doesn't have to be a fantastical excuse. People in real life have survived comparable impalement injuries if they got medical treatment in time. And we didn't actually see Coulson's death; it was announced off-camera by Fury, a character that we know for a fact was willing to lie in order to manipulate the Avengers' emotions. So there could be a perfectly naturalistic explanation for Coulson's survival, the seeds for which were already planted in the film itself.

Sure, but to retcon it like that takes away from the emotional resonance of that announcement in the film. I hate how death is so mutable in comics and I hoped it wouldn't happen on the TV show. Perhaps Coulson's popularity trumps the poignancy of his death announcement, but I don't think the guy is needed to do a SHIELD show. Coulson's part was well played and the character was well used to connect the dots. But those dots are connected now; Coulson served his purpose and 'died' with honor in the Avengers. That was enough for me.

Plus, retconning it along those lines just make Nick Fury extra-douchey when just saying he was injured and hanging on to life instead could've had nearly the desired effect of rallying the Avengers.

[Christopher]

Heck, I was surprised when Coulson didn't turn up alive at the end of The Avengers. Not only was it blatantly telegraphed by having the death off-camera, but I figured that Whedon was deliberately subverting the fans' expectations about Whedon killing off fan-favorite characters, that he was playing into that assumption in order to fake us out by having it turn out to be a ploy of Fury's.

I was wrong about the latter part (in fact, it wasn't even Whedon's idea to kill -- or "kill" -- Coulson, but came from on high), but I'm not sure it would be a retcon; again, they made a point of keeping his reputed moment of death off-camera, which is usually a dead giveaway, and these films are being made by people who seem to have a whole master strategy planned out for their productions. It's not really a retcon if they planned it that way all along; it's just a revelation of something hidden.