Samuel L. Jackson has been out and about promoting his upcoming indie-romcom The Avengers from upstart whippersnapper Marvel Studios. Here’s what he had to say about the possibilities of spinning his Nick Fury role into its own film:
“Natasha [Black Widow] is part of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hawkeye is part of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I couldn’t do a S.H.I.E.L.D. movie without those two people. They’re essential elements of what’s there. Now we know Agent [Maria] Hill is an essential element of S.H.I.E.L.D. so she would have to be there. And I’m still not sure if she’s the eyes and ears of the council hanging around inside their place and telling people, ‘We’ve got these superheroes over here!’ She wants my job. I can tell. She’s ambitious. I don’t know how much of S.H.I.E.L.D. [Marvel] want[s] to expose…I mean, we’re not superheroes. We’re more of a shadow world. So, it would be more like ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ with good toys-closer to a ‘Bond’ movie than a superhero movie.”
I don’t see why Marvel wouldn’t consider doing a SHIELD film at some point. But to consider doing one without Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson? That just seems false. Then again, Coulson’s omission in the above quote (which reads like a role call for said film) leaves me suspicious of his fate in Avengers*.
What interests me about a SHIELD film is the notion of regular people living and working in a world of superheroes. The characters in a SHIELD movie would be badasses in their own right, but Fury and Hill aren’t part of a super team. They don’t have special powers or god hammers or future armor. How would normals come to terms with such inferiority after The Avengers? That underlining approach, to me, would be much more interesting than a straight forward actioner that has SHIELD facing down a B-tier Marvel villain. Though admittedly, both approaches could work in tandem in the same film.
*Speculation on my part – I haven’t seen the film and if I knew that to be the case I certainly wouldn’t share it with you here. Still, it’d be a shame to forgo Gregg’s talents.
15 comments
I love the idea of a S.H.I.E.L.D. movie playing as like almost a more serious MIB meets Bond in the Marvel Universe. Could be very cool. Lots of cameos and fun second-string characters could be brought in to keep things lively.
Matthew Fox is a fucking idiot.
Tim Kelly, Other Agents could…Easilly replace Coulson! They include…Gabe Jones, Timothy Aloysius Dum Dum Dugan,Clay Quatermain, Countessa Allegra di Fontaine Jasper Sitwell, Sharon Carter or Jimmy Woo! I would definitely be interested in a S.H.I.E.L.D. Film! Don’t Yield, back S.H.I.E.L.D.!
Yes, but would they replace Coulson in our hearts? Seriously, I’ve really liked that character ever since he first appeared in Iron Man.
I’m looking forward to The Avengers, but for the moment the Nick Fury character is the least exciting part of the film. I think post “Snakes on a Plane,” (and a bunch of other crappy film choices) Samuel Jackson became a caricature instead of an actor.
And, as a long time Marvel devotee, I am partial to the original incarnation of fury as opposed to the Ultimates version. Still feel lucky to have the movie at all, but I view Jackson’s presence as something to overcome.
Make all the movies you can afford to make, Marvel. With the rumor that Fox is going to opt not to renew the rights to Fantastic Four, Marvel can continue to make these stand-alone films that build the characters, and then make huge films like Avengers that don’t need to rely on character development so much, and can concentrate on story and action. God, who wouldn’t love to see Tony Stark and Reed Richards on screen coming up with a plan to take down Galactus? Or see the Hulk and The Thing square off? Marvel is revolutionizing superhero film making just as they revolutionized comics in the 60s.
I’m intrigued by this romcom you speak of. When does it come out? I think Shield as a throw-back Bond, slick and overly gadgetified, is a great way to go now that Bond himself has gone all Jason Bourne. Go back to the end of the Pierce Brosnan era, when Bond had one foot in the black ops / spy world and one in the superhero world. Then amp it up another two or three notches. BTW, according to the porn industry, Samuel Jackson DOES have a God Hammer.
Duke, you beautiful bastard. But hasn’t Dum Dum already been established in the Captain America timeline with Neil McDonough? That’d be some wicked aerobics to get him into the future, no? Anyways, thanks for the comment buddy!
Tim Kelly, Marvel should just reveal that…Fury, Dum Dum, and the other Howlers took the…Infinity Formula, and then Dugan could be in…Both the Captain America Sequel and future Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. Films!
S.H.I.E.L.D. should be called in to apprehend a pesky group of superpowered self-orphans, dubbed by the media to be The Runaways.
SHIELD is great and all, but I want a decent Silver Surfer flick — if possible based on the Moebius/Stan Lee collaboration.
I was hoping the headline was referring to the TV series.
dbandit, S.H.I.E.L.D. of course refers to the Marvel Agency of Superspies led by Colonel Nick Fury! They are the group with the…Helicarrier, A place where The Avengers…Assemble, and not rogue cops led by Ben Grimm…err…Michael Chiklis!
But I thought that Human Torch guy carries a shield.
dbandit, Yeah, but Chris Evans plays…Captain America, not…The Shield!
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