Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon announces new script, updates projects

"Before [the Q&A], I want to answer the question that’s been on all of your minds. I can see it in your beady little eyes - What have I done of you lately? Well, I wrote Wonder Woman...and that’s enough about that."

And thus began fan-favorite Joss Whedon’s panel Saturday late-afternoon. A lot of people showed up to honor the man many call their master now, greeting him with two lengthy ovations.

Breaking News:

"I’m getting sick and tired of not entertaining you guys enough." To that end, Joss is concentrating on doing "smaller scale" projects in order to get more works finished and out to the mass on a faster pace. "There are so many really creepy things swimming around in my head and I really need to get them out." That got the crowd very excited, and rightly so.

Starting with "Drew Goddard is tall and kinda sexy," Joss then announced that the two of them have collaborated on a script called Cabin In The Woods - "The horror film to end all horror films. Literally." It’s not on the market yet but with a statement like that, it should be pretty dang interesting to say the least.

Projects in the works:

* Goners - Joss is in the process of rewriting the fantasy/thriller and is his primary focus.

* Ripper - The Buffy spin-off featuring Giles the Watcher is in talks/negotiations and, depending on the script, "there’s a very real possibility that in the next year [he’ll] finally be able to film" it. Stating that he had diner with Anthony Stewart Head "the other night" about it, "As [Head] said, "I’m for it." It will be a 90-minute piece produced for the BBC with distribution later. There are more discussions to be had but "everyone seems to be on the same page...[and it] can happen, should happen, will happen soon."

* Sugar Shock - Joss’ first original comic creation with Fabio Moon doing the art. Launched yesterday on Dark Horse’s MySpace and is 100% free.

* Serenity - A new comic is launching in late Winter from Dark Horse. Also, the Collector’s Edition of the movie will be released August 21st. When someone shouted out for a sequel to the film, Joss responded by saying the new DVD edition of was coming out because "people keep buying the damn thing," implying that it’s a possibility.

* He’s also composing the score for a short ballet he’s doing with Summer Glau. The crowd dug the idea prompting Joss to state in surprise, "Boy, was I expecting silence." Entitled The Serving Girl, he’s already found a choreographer and will film it once he’s finished the score.

* Buffy The Vampire Slayer Comic - In regards to the current volume, officially known as Season 8, when asked if and when Oz (played by Seth Green) returns, Joss stealthy replied, "I can’t tell you when but you don’t have to ask if." He later added that while he doesn’t know how long Season 8 will be ("I can’t stop writing the Buffy comic. It’s like a drug."), he "definitely know[s] how [it] ends and [he knows] how Season 9 begins."

* When asked if he was doing anything more with the character Fray, a vampire slayer of the future, he replied with a yes. Adding "[I’m] not sure if I’m supposed to be saying that...but I did."

* Angel: After The Fall - The comic he’s working on with Brian Lynch, who will be the writer. It will be a twelve-issue maxi-series from IDW that shows what happens after the series finale battle with the evil law firm known as "Wolfram and Hart. " "What happens is very bad," he says conspiritiorily.

Projects not in the works:

Angel movies - "It’s called Bones - Season 2."

Heroes - He was asked if he’s been asked to direct any episodes and if he would. While he loves the show and would be honored, Joss regretfully doesn’t have the time to really get involved, especially since he "can’t do a little bit of anting."

Writing for Other Comics - Coming to the end of what his wife refers to as his "Merry Marvel Midlife Crisis", Joss wants to "concentrate on smaller, creator-owned things and filmed entertainment" and will only do solo-shot issues here and there, if any.

When asked if he was working on a musical, while he’d love to, Joss state that "musicals are the single hardest thing to write...Not only is it my dream, it is a plan. As I live, it will happen but I’m not sure when."

A fan brought up the possibility of Joss directing the seventh and last Harry Potter film when the time comes. Whedon expressed his interest in his usual understated manner - "Yeah, I could probably find a weekend for that."

Other Highlights:

An fan requested he do the "Dance of Shame". His response? "Guys...you’re killing me. I love you, but I’m not going to dance."

A young boy got up to the microphone and really won everyone over. He became a fan because his dad wanted him to watch Firefly. Initially reluctant because his father usually has "lame taste," five minutes into it and he was hooked. His question: "What was going through your mind when you came up with the idea? Were you watching Star Wars and said, wow, I wonder what would happen if Clint Eastwood was in this?’" Joss responded, "No, but from now on yes."