Five days remain until the United States release of Marvel's The Avengers assembly and, based on critics reviews and record-breaking box office results overseas, the superhero spectacle lives up to its five-year anticipation. It was during the third year, 2010, that Joss Whedon came on board as writer and director. And briefly looking back at that period with NY Daily News, he informed them of an original Avenger from the comics that was included in early drafts, but evidently didn't make the cut: Janet van Dyne aka The Wasp.
Whedon will be the first to admit it almost didn’t work. There was a version of the script, back when Johansson wasn’t involved, that featured a female superhero named the Wasp. Whedon had to scrap that script, and was making changes to his final version even as the effects people were starting work on the 40-minute battle that closes the movie. “Trying to figure out the way you want to introduce all those characters, that was stuff we were still tweaking in the edit,” says Whedon.
You may recall last year a doubtful report quoting Joss Whedon on his initial "plan" to include Janet van Dyne, stating
“I tried to write her in, but I could not make it work.” And with what he told NY, this seems to verify it.
Marvel Studios have yet to name the undisclosed 2014 film with
Captain America 2, so the possibility remains for The Wasp to be introduced to the cinematic universe, along with
Ant-Man in the Edgar Wright-written/directed solo movie, before
The Avengers assemble again. Because The Wasp was initially included, do you think
that adds validity to the countless reports that actresses Eva Longoria & Morena Baccarin were being considered?
Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on November 15, 2013.