Joss Whedon is now officially the director and writer of the movie with biggest opening weekend of all-time, and he spoke out Wednesday about the success of Avengers on long-running fan blog Whedonesque.
Balancing his trademark self-deprecation and irreverence with genuine sincerity, Whedon thanked his fans, writing, “What doesn’t change is that I’ve had the smartest, most loyal, most passionate, most articulate group of — I’m not even gonna say fans. I’m going with “peeps” — that any cult oddity such as my bad self could have dreamt of. When almost no one was watching, when people probably should have STOPPED watching, I’ve had three constants: my family and friends, my collaborators (often the same), and y’all.”
Whedon also commented on the impending box office battle between Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises, stating that if the latter outgrosses his Marvel Studios film, he will “feel sad,” but “Our successes, whoever has the mostest, are a boon to each other. We’re in the business of proving that superhero movies aren’t just eye-candy (they’re eye-TRUFFLES!).”
His full commentary, along with faux Q&A, is here.
May 9th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Whdeon for President!
–J.
May 9th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
I met him at the San Diego Comic Con a few years back when he dropped by the Browncoats booth. He was kind enough to sign two copies of the Serenity sountrack for me, and I am very happy for his film’s success. It’s always nice when good things happen to good people.
May 9th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
if he’s smart, while he’s still sitting on top of the world, NOW would be the time to start pitching Firefly Season 2. just sayin.
May 9th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
I must admit to not being a viewer of Buffy, Angel, Firefly nor Serenity; not because of Joss Wheadon, but simply because the aforementioned programs were just not my “cup of tea.” My interest and fascination is with costumed superheroes, as I’ve been a comic book superhero fan since the age of 8. Now, at 45 (46 this December), I am very, VERY proud for my beloved comic book medium and that it has produced “something very special, which has been well received, not just in the US…but GLOBALLY!. FINALLY…after many comic book; books/novels, radio programs, TV shows, movies, streaming videos, etc…we (comic book fans) have an incredibly successful movie to reference, which validates and reaffirms what we’ve known all along…that our long time hobby of reading and collecting comic books (or as my dad called “Funny books”), was not a waste of time. Aside from the awesome art inside (most of) the comics, the writing (by some of the most prolific, intelligent, articulate, creative and imaginative individuals in the literary world) has taken center stage, not just in the comic book work, but in the cinematic sphere as well. As MARVEL’s AVENGERS now has declared (with the proverbial exclamation point), comic book movie adaptations are HERE to stay, at least for the foreseeable future and I for one could not be happier. “The more, the merrier.” And…even though I do NOT want Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Returns” to undo what Joss Wheadon’s AVENGERS astoundingly accomplished, I DO wish the movie well, because I support the [comic book movie adaptation] genre, if not the Director or Comic book Publisher/DC per se. Sorry to ramble everyone, but I just wanted to give a little detail as to why I’m responding to this article. Mr. Wheadon…congratulations on your success and every other person who made this movie possible…and successful!
May 9th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
P.S.,
I watched the AVENGERS 4 times this past weekend and I will MORE THAN LIKELY watch it 2 more times THIS upcoming weekend and 3-5 more times over the course of a month’s time. I’m going to do my part to make this movie one of the most (if not THE most) successful movies ever made.
May 9th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
I don’t understand the need to make it a “Marvel vs. DC” or “Dark Knight Rises vs. Avengers” thing. Doesn’t everyone understand that if they both make mega millions then studios will continue to make movies because they will be profitable. It’s not a competition, they are in it together.
May 9th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Lingo:
For fans, I agree with you it doesn’t need to be a fight.
But I think if anyone has the right to hope that Avengers makes more money than Batman, it’s Whedon. I think it’s pretty understandable for the director to have a preference.
May 10th, 2012 at 12:41 am
Thank you KyleRylan.
To Lingo, I agree with you as well, and I DO support ALL (serious) comic book movie adaptations, as I watched The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Green Lantern, The Watchmen, Cowboys and Aliens and a host of other non-MARVEL and/or Nolan films. As I stated in my first reply “I do wish The Dark Knight s”Returns well, because I support the comic book movie adaptation genre.” But let’s be honest…we all have our favorite characters, titles, writers, artists, producers, directors, etc and as long as I’m mature enough to respectfully support my “favorites,” without insulting rivals and their supporters…then what is the harm? There will always be such comparisons made in whatever field of interest you chose, be it football teams, music artist or even political figureheads. As a fan of The Avengers, (particulaly THOR), I am just expressing my joy of their cinematic acheivement and sharing my hope that the ONLY film with ANY hope of upending their current record-breaking performnce…does NOT do so, but I DO hope it doe well…on behalf of the genre.
May 10th, 2012 at 12:44 am
Oops…sorry about mistyping your name KaleRylan.
May 10th, 2012 at 6:02 am
I agree with BrendanSilent – Hollywood is now in the palm of his hand! He should be able to get whatever he wants – and lets hope new Firefly is on that list!… But who am I kidding I would love another buffy or Angel season too! Angel moreso – the last half of season 5 was great tv! Its too bad all my favorites are dead!!! Anya, Cordelia and Wesley!
May 10th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Kudos, Josh. Kudos.
May 10th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Oh, it’s “Joss”. Mea culpa.
May 10th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
That’s Wheadon? I always pictured him with more hair.
May 10th, 2012 at 9:00 pm
This is an amazing inspirational story for aspiring writer/directors everywhere. This proves that no matter how chronically amateurish and uninspired your work is, all you have to do is keep cranking out mediocre drivel month after month, year after year, failed project after failed project becuse if you just keep at it you’ll finally be given success on a silver platter. Some day some studio executive will come along and hand you a big-budget sequel with so much hype and goodwill going in, so many big name Hollywood stars, such an exhorbitant effects budget, that it literally CAN NOT FAIL, no matter how shallow, glib, or cynically soulless your script may be.
May 10th, 2012 at 11:35 pm
My’z eye-TRUFFLES wuz in da muthf*(n’3-D laz Thursnite MIDNIGHT, yo! Delicious. Mad real tastey all sharma crisp!
…speaking of that, reminds me of a story for ya -happened today: Was drinking a coffee in front of an indian restaurant, this guys waiting for his grilfriend and says how they just saw the avengers, and eating sharma at that restaurant. I laughed and was like, -”OH YEAH!!! GREAT IDEA -Just like after the credits n shit…” and this same guy is looking at me weird, and is kinda drunk and says, “What, that was all up in space, …right?” -After I was through telling him about Tony Stark was all ‘lets eat sharma afterwards, ok???’ and just as I began to describe how they were in an indian restaurant all exhausted except for Bruce Banner… -the Indian guy came out side where we were talking to let him know that his card was denied. So, he had to run… -True story, just happened, today
HHHMMMmmnNHh yeeah, shiiiit.
May 10th, 2012 at 11:51 pm
TO: WendellThornhill -Thats funny how you are like all ‘…Imz gonna seeysme sum mo’dis here movie… again and agaiiin… hmmnhnn’
Wow, thats alot of money and time to spend? Do you spend half as much time on volunteering in your community, or going to city hall/council meetings, or how about creating and starting your own food line / shelter for people in need….??? Or how much time spent in organizing a beautiful park in your area, …that has a solar powered tram system connecting it with surrounding towns, …and for keeping ourselves awake??? Ha ha ha!!!! I love the Avengers too, nobody gave a crap about them in the 80′s really… yeah, this movie rocks, and then there are diminishing returns on our dollar, no matter how much money you save, no matter how much money i make, no matter how much we work -the purchasing power of our labor will always be less than the previous year as interest rates are now only going up along with the already climbing gas/food/airfare fees there is nothing to save but our communities. Lets go for a walk to to the park after the avengers… -OH no, we cant… because none exist in the Mid was really, and you need to car jaunt to a strip mall and let that gut grow as the circulatory system sags in that commute, desk chair, commute, sofa, bed, commute… how many times do we have to see a movie to fee good about ourselves these days??? -wait, lets just tell ourselves that we are ‘special’, and concentrate on the power of ‘think positive’. Peace
P 
May 12th, 2012 at 5:49 am
Personally i’d prefer Avengers to outdo Dark knight . Not because i wont love Dark Knight too , chances are i’ll find it everybit as good .
… but because , while not its fault and 100% on Holywood’s shoulders, the Nolan Batman movies sent a few years ago the message that Comics movies adaptation should be gritty and dark to succeed .
WIch is silly , Batman was dark and gritty , because well it’s pretty much Batman’s thing .
But look at stuff like the upcoming Superman , they failed at delivering a good superman movie the last time , and faced with the success of Nolan’s adaptation , they felt Superman needed some darker edge .
Wich is why stuff like the Avengers , with an overall feel good vibes and witty fun banter amidst the usual crisises are even more so important
May 12th, 2012 at 5:58 am
@Richard Harrow
Bitter much ? Your fairy twisted tale wont work at all . Even Whedon’s haters are forced to face some harsh facts … like the man always getting critical praises through his career for his scripts and dialogues , even on the biggest flops .
He was so good at it that he switched fields effortless and wrote comics that was satiating and good to the most jaded public out there : comics books fans .
He didnt come from nowhere , he had his cult following on TV , actually a few big tv successes amidst his failures , wrote comics for Marvel that ended being top sellers .
If there was a guy with experiences in both holywood and comicsdom , that could satisfy both world , it was him period .
But by all mean keep telling yourself that some lamo grinded his way through , it will keep you warm at night , when you and your buddies try that and fail .
May 12th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Whedon “always gets praises” for his work? I guess someone should have told the critics about that.
Len Sousa of Slant magazine called out Dollhouse for “Whedon’s stilted high school dialogue ”
Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post said of Whedon’s script for Titan AE
“The explosions have more personality than the human beings.”
Wow. That DOES sound like a precursor to Whedonvengers. But I’m sure Whedon’s trademark ‘brilliant dialogue’ dazzled him.
“Once the yapping starts, the movie dies meekly as you focus on the second hand of your watch sweeping your life away.”
But maybe I’m unfairly cherry picking only the negative reviewers. There’s no way Whedon would recieve this kind of crtical drubbing from a big-name reviewer, like a Roger Ebert or someone like that. Right?
Roger Ebert, in his review for the Whedon-penned masterpiece “Alien: Resurrection” slammed the script dismissing the dialogue as “terse sound bites that play well in commercials” and lamenting the “shoestring of a plot, barely enough to give them something to talk about between the action scenes.”
Hey, I just thought of the perfect guy to direct Hasbro’s inevitable NERF movie!
May 13th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
This Richard Harrow guy is a sad,sad man.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Richard Harrow. I really just don’t get you man. Have you even seen the movie? Are you a fan of marvel comics? Or are you just an elitist prick? I have yet to meet a single person who didn’t enjoy the movie. And yes to answer your question you are cherry picking. Notice you didn’t mention his two most loved projects. Nor did you mention Roger Ebert’s review of ….wait for it… AVENGERS. Sounds to me like you wanted to be the one guy who hated the avengers as soon as you heard it was in the works. Now why don’t you go write a blog about it that no one will take anything from at all. K thanks.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
By the way
From Roger Ebert
three stars (your right its only three…?)
“The Avengers is done well by Joss Whedon, with style and energy. It provides its fans with exactly what they desire.
May 16th, 2012 at 8:31 pm
Oh, my. I see I’ve really upset Whedon’s legion of fans, Browneyes or whatever they call themselves.
You left out the last line of that Ebert review “…. It provides its fans with exactly what they desire. Whether it is exactly what they deserve is arguable. ” I.E. the movie is satisfying, albeit in a mindless, lowest-common-denominator sort of way. Or, as he put it earlier in the review.
“These films are all more or less similar, and “The Avengers” gives us much, much more of the same” Ebert knows this movie is nothing more than summer trash. Entertaining trash for many viewers, but trash nevertheless. He gave “Charlie’s Angels:Full Throttle” two and a half stars for similar reasons.
June 21st, 2012 at 1:20 am
“Our successes, whoever has the mostest, are a boon to each other. We’re in the business of proving that superhero movies aren’t just eye-candy (they’re eye-TRUFFLES!).”
April 5th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Superb post. As soon as I noticed this site I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.