While Joss Whedon has already been quick to note that upcoming superhero sequel AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is not based on any single comic book story (including the recent series which shares its title with the film), Marvel’s Kevin Feige has also chimed in with a few more details. He’s already confirmed Whedon’s statement in an interview with Empire:
‘It’s not that [run’s] story, but it’s that title. It’s been in the works for seven or eight months. There are some things in this movie, that you’ll see in 2015, that arise directly from casual conversations Joss and I had on the set of the first one. ‘Would it be cool if…?’ ‘That would be cool!’….We came up with a few titles, but every month a new comic book appeared, and that’s a great title. ‘Age Of Ultron’ is a great title. We had a few other ‘of Ultrons’, but that was the best one. So we’re borrowing that title, but taking storylines from decades of Avengers storylines.’
Feige also noted that Loki may well live past the events of THOR: THE DARK WORLD, due in part to ‘seeing so many Lokis on the floor at Comic-Con’, indicating to Marvel that they should ‘keep following their instincts’:
‘We think Loki could be the big bad for us, for a long time.’
The fact that AGE OF ULTRON isn’t based on any comic series in particular definitely gives Marvel some room to breathe creatively, which they’re going to need, considering Ant-Man will be part of Phase Three: in the comics, Ultron, a self-aware and intelligent robot, was accidentally created by Hank Pym (Ant-Man before he was Ant-Man). Obviously that isn’t going to happen here, so it’ll be interesting to see how Whedon handles it.
One rumour that’s currently doing the rounds involves Tony Stark’s robo-butler J.A.R.V.I.S. (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) going rogue and becoming Ultron, possibly thanks to some modifications made by Tony himself. This theory isn’t entirely without basis: in the comics, Ultron originally used a brainwashed Edwin Jarvis, Tony Stark’s then-butler, as part of a plan to take down the Avengers. And the teaser video which revealed the title of the AVENGERS sequel also showed Iron Man’s helmet colliding with Ultron’s.
Disney might have more beans to spill at their D23 Expo on 9th-11th August, but for now it’s interesting to speculate just how we’ll see Ultron come to life on the silver screen, how Loki fits in and whether Thanos is ever going to do anything at all after showing up in the AVENGERS credits.
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is due for release in 2015 and will be directed by Joss Whedon.
Source: FirstShowing
