It’s still wrapped in the sort of secrecy that would make JJ Abrams smile, but Joss Whedon’s S.H.I.E.LD. TV pilot is now being put through its post-production paces ready to deliver to the ABC network, and Whedon is now talking a little more about the series, even if he doesn’t get into specifics.
“I’m excited about the show because it’s a very hopeful show,” Whedon told TVLine at the Streamy Awards this past weekend. “It’s not about murder, and it’s not about crime, and it’s not people looking into their own belly buttons. It’s about people who are trying to help each other, and that’s one of the things I loved about comic books. They had costumes and the villains were cool but they stood for something, and I like doing a show that does that.”
He’s at pains to stress that it’ll feel very much in the Marvel movie universe, even if the big heroes won’t be dropping in every week to say hello. “We’re trying very hard to be true to Marvel's ethos and also to the structure of their universe,” Whedon says. “So it is definitely a Marvel show. But right now, I want to involve people in the characters that we’ve created for the show, and then we’ll worry about the other stuff.”
Speaking of “the other stuff,” what about all that talk of Avengers’ Maria Hill (AKA Cobie Smulders) possibly signing on? According to Whedon, her schedule is a little tight, but he does want to use her when he can.
The cast as it stands right now includes Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson, Ming-Na as Melinda May, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Elizabeth Henstridge as Gemma Simmons, Iain De Caestecker as Leo Fitz and Brett Dalton as Grant.
ABC is still deciding whether to commission a series based on the pilot, but we’re keeping our fingers, toes and eyes crossed.