Joss Whedon hit Reddit for an Informal Q&A [Highlights]
Joss Whedon hardly needs introduction, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog, he has been elevated to a god-like status in many geeky and pop cultural circles. Whedon is co-writer and producer on the brilliantly twisted Cabin in the Woods (in theatres April 13), and director of the Marvel blockbuster The Avengers due out May 4th, and an updated Much Ado About Nothing featuring many Whedon regulars on the horizon. In the midst of all this, Whedon hit Reddit this afternoon for an Ask Me Anything session (or AMA) with his fans.
Whedon fielded questions about The Avengers, Buffy, Shakespeare, dream projects, and a whole lot more. Read the highlights.
Whedon began the Q & A by dutifully answering the fan suggestion of a kickstarter campaign for more Firefly with an unsurprising no (thought he later expressed the desire to continue telling Firefly stories), explains that the steps would involve “Step 2: Cancel Castle. Step 3: Cancel Homeland. Step 4: Generally destroy everybody’s careers. Step 5: Avoid Step 2.”, and no one wants that.
Joss spilled his favourite characters “Spike, Andrew, Illyria, River, Captain Hammer, Loki, the Cheese Man” while most difficult to write for was Angel “How to make a decent, handsome, stalwart hero interesting — tough. Angelus, on the other hand…”.
On fan-fiction and interpretation: “All worthy work is open to interpretations the author did not intend. Art isn’t your pet — it’s your kid. It grows up and talks back to you.”
Joss on killing people ..er.. characters in response to a question by dbertie:
I actually find it refreshing… delightful…. vaguely arousing….
Actually, I’m, no offense, very tired of being labelled as “the guy who kills people”. Shakespeare (he’s this hot new writer) does it way more than me, and everyone’s all excited about how he, as it were, holds a mirror up to nature, while I’m like the Jason Voorhees of the writing community. Unfair.
Also, probably Buffy’s Mom. [ed. the most difficult kill]
pzer0: What is your dream project? I mean, if money and marketability weren’t an issue in any way, what would be the first movie or TV show you’d make?
I have many dream projects. But all the money in the world means just one thing: spaceships. Spaceships in trouble.
Etherealclarity: “If you could pick ONE piece of work (one episode of any show you’ve done, or one movie) that would be used to represent your entire body of work – to be seen by children 100 years in the future, or to alien species who have discovered the ruins of our civilization in 100 thousand years, which would it be and why?”
“Objects in Space” (Firefly)
theroyalgoat: Would you have brought Fred back if Angel hadn’t ended with season 5? Any regrets as far as stories, character developments that you were unable to do with any of the Buffy/Angel characters?
Season six of Angel would have kicked all manner of ass. And Illyria would have manifested as Fred often enough to become very confused about her identity.
And now I’m sad again.
Melladonna26: I’m SO excited to see your version of Much Ado About Nothing. What made you want to tackle Shakespeare?
I wanted to drag Shakespeare from obscurity. I’ve been a fan my whole life, and it’s time other people started noticing him!
Onto The Avengers:
1) So. Firefly. When will second season be here? living in denial
2) How was working with Avengers team like?
3) Why did you change Captain America costume design?
4) How hard it was to take another shoot at realistic CGI Hulk? Was he done by ILM? Weta digital?
1) See above. 2) Like herding adorable kittens. 3) It was always meant to be updated to the more comics-based look. 4) ILM did the Hulk — very difficult, VERY successful.
[…and I’m still picturing little kitten Captain America and he’s adorable.]
Last_Years_Villain: I was hella pissed at Comiccon during the Iron Man 2 panel when every single male cast member was asked questions, and Scarlet Johansson was only mentioned in passing “you’re hot”. Anyone with eyeballs knows she’s hot, but she worked her ass off to get that role, and she took the time out of her busy schedule and faced nerd musk to support her movie. What are your feelings on this? Have you dealt with the hypersexualization of women in Avengers?
All I can say is that Scarlett gets to do a lot more than be hot in “Avengers”. It’s definitely dispiriting to have a woman play an heroic role and then be reduced to body parts by fan commentary, but that can only change slowly. And is.
What’s your favourite Joss Whedon show or movie? Which one of the upcoming projects are you most looking forward to?
Read all of Whedon’s answers here.
