The Avengers

Yes, we know, April Fools Day jokes are going up faster than Jesse James can Heil Hitler, but we’ve got some real news to throw into the mix, so THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE, real news!!

THE AVENGERS will be the culmination of everything Marvel Entertainment has been working towards, bringing together their biggest and brightest superheroes on the big screen including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk.

Director Louis Leterrier has thrown his hat into the ring as wanting to bring Earth’s mightiest heroes together under one tentpole but we are hearing it will not be his cross to bear. Leterrier mentioned a short list of directors recently that Marvel was looking at, he didn’t know who else was on the list but IESB has found out one other member.

The same sources that spilled the beans to IESB about Spider-Man 4 being put on an indefinite hold back in December, have revealed that another leading contender on that short list to direct THE AVENGERS film is none other than Joss Whedon.

Whedon, who was previously writing and directing WB’s long gestating Wonder Woman film, has a history with the Marvel brand as a comic book writer. His run of the Astonishing X-Men was one of Marvel’s best selling lines and was nominated for several Eisner Awards. He was also the second writer on the Runaways line for Marvel and wrote short stories for Stan Lee Meets Spider-Man.

Whedon is currently working on Cabin in the Woods on which he is writing and producing starring Thor himself Chris Hemsworth directed by Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard.

Zak Penn is writing THE AVENGERS screenplay.

We will be calling Whedon’s and studio reps for confirmation/denial/no comment in the morning. Take it as a rumor for now until further confirmation.

I can’t believe Joss Whedon was unable to get into our San Diego Comic-Con party The Wrath of Con last year, the fire marshall shut down the line! Please don’t hold it against us! I mean, who really cares if the roof would have caved with more guests.

THE AVENGERS has a scheduled release date of May 4, 2012.