Joss Whedon Confirms He’s Directing the Avengers

Although it doesn’t come to anyone’s  surprise, Joss Whedon has confirmed that he will be directing The Avengers film during a panel with JJ Abrams at Comic Con.

“It’s not an official thing, I think because Marvel couldn’t afford a press release,” said Whedon. “So can we make that an official thing? I’m directing ‘The Avengers’.

As for the direction he will take with the film, he stated “I am still writing an outline. I’m still in that stage. I will say the thing I love about it, the thing that made me excited to do it, is how counter intuitive it is. These people shouldn’t be in the same room — and that is the very definition of family.”

With a cast that as now includes Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and possibly Don Cheadle as War Machine, The Avengers is slated for release on May 4, 2012.  With news that everyone’s favorite fearless leader at the helm, my guess is that lines to see this film are about to start… now.