What seemed like a well-timed April Fool's Day prank might actually hold some weight — it appears that Joss Whedon really is a potential candidate to direct "The Avengers."
After speaking with sources at Marvel Studios, The Los Angeles Times reports that while Whedon is not a lock to helm "The Avengers," his name really is on the alleged short list of directors and conversations have taken place between the filmmaker and the studio.
"After some checking, insiders at Marvel Studios say no director has been signed yet but that Whedon was on the short-list and conversations took place," states the report.
Whedon has worked with Marvel Comics on several occasions over the years, including his celebrated work on "Astonishing X-Men" alongside John Cassaday and his take over of Brian K. Vaughan's "Runaways." Additionally, he has plenty of experience working in television and film on "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer," "Angel" and 2005's "Serenity," among other projects.
But despite his credentials, it's unclear that Whedon would even want to direct "The Avengers," as he has previously stated that it's not a project that particularly interests him.
"The Avengers to me is tough," Whedon said in a 2005 interview with In Focus discovered by Ain't It Cool News. "I wouldn't approach The Avengers, I wouldn't approach the Fantastic Four. The X-Men are all born of pain, and pain is where I hang my hat."
So while it seems that Whedon really is a candidate to direct "The Avengers," the real question is whether or not it's actually a job he wants. Stay tuned to Splash Page as more news develops.
Tell us what you think of Whedon's potential involvement with "The Avengers" in the comments section and on Twitter!
