Joss Whedon's Avengers 2 struggles revealed

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Describes why he had to think twice about directing it

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Given the box-office success of the first film, and the universal adoration with which it was met among fans, you would think signing on for The Avengers 2 would have been a no-brainer for director Joss Whedon.

However, Whedon apparently thought long and hard about whether he wanted to return for a second round, only coming to a final decision after a brainstorming session in London.

“There’s a business aspect to it and I would be disingenuous not to say that, but the question for me is, 'Do I have another story to tell about these people?' So we worked on the business side of it and I didn’t think it was going to happen - I was like ‘I’m never going to do this again.’

“But once they worked on the business aspect of it I thought, 'That seems fair and cool', so, the question was, ‘Do I have another thing to say?’ I was in London and I went to a pub and had some fish and chips and a pint and started writing in my notebook. I’m writing ‘if I was going to do this what would I say?’ and 40 minutes later I filled the notebook. So I text my agent and said to make the deal.

“I’m so in love with that universe and the characters and the way they were played and I have so much more I want to do with them. I know I can’t match the success of the first one but I can try to make a better film and that’s what I’m excited about. That’s the new room of fear I’m entering now.”

Proof, if proof were needed, that a pint and a plate of fish and chips is enough to make anyone see sense. The Avengers 2 opens in the UK on 1 May 2015.

George Wales
George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.