Though Avengers: Age of Ultron, officially announced at this year’s Comic-Con, isn’t due out until 2015, information about the superhero sequel continues to emerge at an impressive rate.
Entertainment Weekly, which features Avengers: Age of Ultron writer-director Joss Whedon on the cover this week, has learned that the film’s antagonist will be less over-powered on the big screen than he was in the Marvel comic-book universe.
Ultron, a sentient robot bent on the destruction of the Avengers, was extremely powerful in the comics, made of impervious adamantium and capable of upgrading at will to increase his abilities. Though the supervillian was created by Hank Pym, aka Ant-Man, in the comics, the teaser at this year’s Comic-Con seems to indicate that Tony Stark will be involved in Ultron’s creation this time around. This makes sense chronologically, as Marvel has announced that they will be holding off on introducing Ant-Man until Phase Three, when Edgar Wright will direct a film based solely around Pym.
Here’s what Whedon had to say about limiting Ultron for Avengers: Age of Ultron:
I knew right away what I wanted to do with him. He’s always trying to destroy the Avengers, goddamn it, he’s got a bee in his bonnet. He’s not a happy guy, which means he’s an interesting guy. He’s got pain. And the way that manifests is not going to be standard robot stuff. So we’ll take away some of those powers because at some point everybody becomes magic, and I already have someone [a new character, Scarlet Witch] who’s a witch.
I have to agree that a more limited Ultron would be a better villain for the Avengers to face, especially in light of how narrowly the Avengers were able to defeat an army of Chitauri in the first film. I think that it would be much more interesting (and believable) to watch them face off against a powerful villain with some weaknesses than one who could easily wipe the floor with them.
Don’t expect a less overpowered Ultron to mean that any of the Avengers are safe in the sequel, however. “As a character I love [Ultron],” Whedon says, “because he’s so pissed off.” Like a certain green rage monster we all know and love, it sounds like Whedon’s Ultron will have quite the temper.
The news that Ultron will be more grounded for his first big-screen appearance isn’t the only Avengers news in recent weeks. The excellent Elizabeth Olsen is apparently being eyed for the role of Scarlet Witch in the movie, while Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been all but confirmed to play new character Quicksilver. On top of that, there’s going to be a serious lack of mewling quims in the sequel, as Tom Hiddleston has confirmed that Loki will not return in Age of Ultron. Yet, as much as the news coming out of Avengers: Age of Ultron excites me, it also leaves me with a ton of burning questions.
If the sequel is to be darker than The Avengers, as Whedon intends, is there a chance that some characters more significant than supporting S.H.I.E.L.D. agents might not make it alive? And whatever happened to that Thanos guy? Ultron’s totally stealing all his thunder over here.
What are your burning questions about Avengers: Age of Ultron? Are you liking what you’ve been hearing so far, or does Ultron seem like a poor fit for the franchise? Who would you cast as the robotic supervillain? Let me know in the comments section.
