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Jon Favreau Confirms He Will Not Be Directing The Avengers
by Alex Billington
October 14, 2009
Source: MTV
We've heard off and on for a few years now, right from Jon Favreau himself, that he's been interested in actually directing Marvel's The Avengers movie, due out sometime in 2012 (if all goes as planned). Our most recent update was back in March, with an anonymous scoop on AICN claiming that Marvel really wants Favreau to direct but isn't sure there is enough time for him to do it after Iron Man 2 (but that was before they pushed Avengers to 2012). MTV recently caught up with Favreau and got an update from him about The Avengers. Unfortunately, he's not going to direct it, but that might not be a bad thing after all.
"They'll have to [find a different director], because I'm not going to be available," he explained. "It's something I'm being the executive producer on, so I'll definitely have input and a say."
He's not going to be available because he's going to be off directing Robert Downey Jr. in Cowboys & Aliens after he finishes Iron Man 2. And I have a feeling that'll be keeping him occupied until 2011, which is when The Avengers would ideally need to start shooting (if they want to make that 2012 release). However, let's look at this optimistically. We all love Favreau because he kicked so much ass with Iron Man, but he's not the only director who could do a good job with The Avengers. And with him out, that opens up the doors to so many other great possibilities, some of them pipe dreams (Christopher Nolan), some of them realities.
"That's why it's good that you have the guys from Marvel like Kevin Feige, who knows the books well and has been involved with the making of all the movies, and he'll be very involved with 'Thor' and 'Cap,'" said Favreau. "You need somebody who has the perspective of all the different franchises to bring them together. I have the myopic vision of just knowing and loving Iron Man."
I really admire that Favreau admits that he's not the right guy because he's only familiar with Iron Man and not familiar enough with the rest of the characters in The Avengers line-up: Thor, Captain America, maybe even Hulk. But, he'll be sad to let his baby go when the time comes. "It's going to be hard, because I was so involved in creating the world of Iron Man and Iron Man is very much a tech-based hero, and then with Avengers you're going to be introducing some supernatural aspects because of Thor." And that's going to be a very interesting challenge. For right now I'm just curious to see how Kenneth Branagh will tackle the Thor movie on its own. If he does a good job, I don't think it'll be as big of a challenge mixing the two later.
Before Favreau finished, he also talked a bit about the crossovers and how they're going to work (without revealing anything). Marvel is worried the cameos will leak out early, but they're trying to work them in.
"We want to reinforce a lot of the stuff we started to tip off," Favreau told MTV News. "'The Avengers' is a much larger concern for Marvel and Kevin Feige, who runs Marvel. They're going to be doing 'Thor' and 'Captain America,' and the way we might start to tease those things in this movie, some of it is stuff that we've discussed [and] some of the stuff you do last-minute as you figure out how that stuff is coming together."
There's a lot that Marvel has to think about as the studio that connects all of these projects together, but so far it's worked out great and fans have been pleased. "It's an evolving, amorphous thing," Favreau said. "If we decide and commit too early, the secret always gets out." I, for one, don't like being spoiled early and I hope that any cameos or hidden crossovers don't get revealed before Iron Man 2's release. Getting back to The Avengers, though, as I said earlier, with Favreau out, that means there's some other great director being talked to about directing The Avengers right now. Who could it be? Will they find the perfect director?
33 Comments
1
Matthew Vaughn? Kevin Smith? Edgar Wright? Jason Reitman? (WB offered him Justice League) DJ Caruso? Peter Berg?
teyhtr on Oct 14, 2009
2
Come on #1... There is already a director who did a badass job with a Marvel ensemble story and last I heard he is interested in coming back to the Marvel side of the coin. Can we have Bryan Singer for the win?
Stevo on Oct 14, 2009
3
Now, it would be on hell of an eye opener if Bryan Singer would step in to direct!
Spider on Oct 14, 2009
4
yes singer is perfect go for it marvel
jh on Oct 14, 2009
5
Now, if only I was the exec of a major film company with the rights to these stories.
Stevo on Oct 14, 2009
6
Michael Bay it is!
Matty on Oct 14, 2009
7
scorcese
sam on Oct 14, 2009
8
big mistake for marvel. favreau would have been perfect for avengers. and no norton in im2 is weak as well. just bad news all around.
M-Cat on Oct 14, 2009
9
and no singer won't work for the avengers. its a much larger scale and needs to be in better care even though i like singer's work. x2 was great but other than that not so much.
M-Cat on Oct 14, 2009
10
two words for you. Sam Raimi. 😛
Toucmyinfection on Oct 14, 2009
11
bryan singer killed superman (luther again. brandon routh with sfx in his face and so on...) michael bay gave optimus prime a mouth (10k movements to transform, with the actionfigures it worked with maybe 12) scorcese would make it a mafiaflick (no offense but i just don`t see it) c mon alex, chris nolan? i dont wanna see the avengers without powers and villains changed so much they dont fit into the marvel universe anymore (i loved the dark knight but this won`t work with the avengers) what about spielberg? the wachochskis? james cameron? mel gibson(okay bad joke)gore verbinski?zack snyder?
yojoe on Oct 14, 2009
12
#10 One word and a number for you... Spiderman 3
Stevo on Oct 14, 2009
13
If Michael Bay directs I may as well shoot myself. Singer has done very good ensemble movies, but there could be someone better out there. Scorcese would be amazing as he always is. Thats shooting for the fence though. Depending on how he does with Thor I would trust Keneth Branagh.
risk on Oct 15, 2009
14
michael bay,byran singer,james cameron,peter jackson,guillermo del toro,the district 9 director or that bloke who did that brilliant halo odst advert.all fucking great choices if you ask me.
zetsu on Oct 15, 2009
15
Genndy Tartakovsky or Brad Bird
brou on Oct 15, 2009
16
Yeah Singer was perfect for the x-men movies that's why the last stand wasnt as good as the first 2 Bryan singer would be awesome for avengers
max s. on Oct 15, 2009
17
#10 After Spiderman 3? what the hell was that a lame joke and if it wasnt hell no
max s. on Oct 15, 2009
18
Quintin Tarantino
thawhitepiccolo on Oct 15, 2009
19
Ang Lee
thawhitepiccolo on Oct 15, 2009
20
Haven't we known about this for, like, ever? Besides, The Avengers is going to be one massive clusterfuck no matter who directs it.
SlashBeast on Oct 15, 2009
21
Ditto #20 but seriously, Nolan or Singer? My word. how can someone hate Bay so much and not those guys. X2 was the best X-men film, doesn't mean it was a great film. And Nolan...he's much like Raimi. People use one film against him but still, different elements as well. I'm surprised no one has said that McDonald garbage McG.
Tra la la la la di da on Oct 15, 2009
22
#21 - Nolan is like Raimi? What?
Governor on Oct 15, 2009
23
I don't think Singer would be a good choice. The X-Men movies were good, but he didn't go the best job with the with the characterization of the players. Wolverine was done decently enough (despite him being 7 feet tall), and Magneto and Xavier felt right, but every other character was wrong. Cyclops in particular was an insecure sissy (exact opposite of himself in the comics). Iceman was always a wisecracking yet powerful ally. Singer made him brooding and also insecure. The Avengers have some serious personalities that I'm afraid Singer will corrupt like he did the X-Men. Nolan has a good touch for building characters, but we don't need The Dark Avengers. Raimi would be kinda the same thing. Cameron would be an interesting choice, but I don't think he'd ever do it. Tartakovsky or Brad Bird are both animated directors, bad choice for first time Live Actioners. Matthew Vaughn or Edgar Wright would be good choices.
Famous Juan on Oct 15, 2009
24
The more I think about it, the more I worry about the Avengers movie. They've shown you can do Iron Man and the Hulk (2nd one) and make them relativly believable in the real world. I have no doubt that they can pull off Captain America in a real world setting. It's Thor that I'm worried about. It's the whole supernatural, god, Asgard/other dimension aspect of his character that I can see working in a solo movie but I fear how this dynamic will work when you have him in a movie with more realistic characters. It works in the comics but I think they should really downplay the whole god aspect of Thor for the Avengers movie. My vote is for a director NOT involved in Iron Man, Thor, or Captain America but they do need to allow input from the directors of those properties so they can have cohesion between the movies. Knowing Marvel is in charge gives me much hope.
S on Oct 15, 2009
25
Be realistic: Nolan won't do it--not enough creative latitude and WB/DC would have a fit if he jumped to the rivals. Singer is vastly overrated and not great with action (although he'd be lucky to get the job). Raimi isn't available until 2015, neither is Del Toro. Matthew Vaughn is a good choice--very solid director, has a relationship with Marvel, has done small character films and ones with lots of effects.
Johnnie Walker on Oct 15, 2009
26
all these names you guys are throwing out there, horrible, might as well hire Fred Savage
jagermeister on Oct 15, 2009
27
#17 of COURSE it was a lame ass joke! why the hell would anybody want sam raimi?? :l
Toucmyinfection on Oct 15, 2009
28
I respect what he said about him being familiar with Iron Man and he can't go on to do the mash up Avengers movie. I hope they could find someone that can pull off an epic movie with this enormous amount of superheroes.
Fisherr on Oct 15, 2009
29
From that picture, it looks like Downey got a hold of some bad acid while Favreau just stuck with the cannibis.
likewoahman on Oct 15, 2009
30
Ed Norton should direct The Avengers.
M-Cat on Oct 15, 2009
31
Vaughn would be great
Silver on Oct 15, 2009
32
Agree with #7 .... Martin Scorsese for Captain America
semendo on Oct 16, 2009
33
Thank God! Iron Man sucked and he'd destroy The Avengers even more with his suckitude.
SlashBeast on Oct 28, 2009
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