It looks as though Marvel is looking to return to live-action television in a big, bold way with the new AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. courtesy of Producer and Co-Writer Joss Whedon (FIREFLY). The show was officially picked up by ABC for series on May 10th and is set to premiere sometime in the 2nd half of 2013. Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the show will focus on S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson played by Clark Gregg (apparently very much alive following the events of THE AVENGERS) as he puts together a group of agents to investigate and tackle cases that may be a little too out of the ordinary for regular law enforcement. ABC released a short promo for the show after the season finale of ONCE UPON A TIME on Sunday night. Check out all the Marvel TV goodness below:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlEECvSlzsI[/youtube]
A lot to be excited about in just 30 seconds, right? The show looks just as grand and sweeping as any of the Marvel films, Gregg’s deadpan delivery and steely demeanor are as enjoyable as ever and it looks as though we can expect a nice blend of action, drama and humor that’s on par with Whedon’s previous productions. I, for one, am very excited and intrigued as to how they are going to introduce concepts and characters from the Marvel Universe that we have yet to see make a live-action debut. For example: just who is that mysterious super-powered stranger in the hoodie? It may be an original character, but I’m personally hoping for a Luke Cage/Power Man appearance!
It will also be interesting to see how the series will intertwine with upcoming Marvel movies. They are taking place in a shared universe, after all. Will events from, say, THOR: THE DARK WORLD, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY or CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER play into episodes? Can we expect guest appearances from Dr. Bruce Banner, Tony Stark or even Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D. head honcho Nick Fury? Heck, why not bring in Jeremy Renner (THE BOURNE LEGACY) for an episode or two to give Hawkeye a little bit more face time?
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. becomes the breakout TV hit of 2013. But you can count on this True Believer to be watching when the series premieres in a few months! Excelsior!
