In one of the final promotional stops by actor Clark Gregg for Joss Whedon's "Much Ado About Nothing" the ever-present and soon to be resurrected S.H.I.E.L.D. agent touched on what answers fans can expect to be revealed in the pilot episode of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Said Gregg on whether the mystery of his return will be revealed in the first episode, "Yeah, it’s the question of the day. It’s a question that is not walked away from in the pilot, but if I said that it was resolved in the pilot, I would be being less than truthful." When asked about the episode count for the show, Gregg stated that presently, they're only officially confirmed for 13 episodes but if the show proves popular (and of course it will, right?) ABC will pick them up for 9 additional episodes for a grand total of 22 episodes. Explained the Coulson actor, "If it’s anything like the past I’ve had in a sitcom, I think technically you’re picked up for 13, and then they decide a certain portion of the way through if they’re going to pick it up for the back 9 and make it a full 22, but we start shooting, either 13 or 22, in mid-July."
When asked about the difference between working with Joss Whedon on "The Avengers", "Much Ado About Nothing" and now "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", Gregg responded by referencing his previous Marvel experience working with Jon Favreau on "Iron Man" and Kenneth Branagh on "Thor." He explained, "The Avengers was probably more Shakespearean; [Agents of S.H.I.El.D.] felt very much like a different — I’ve been in a bunch of different chapters in the Marvel universe. Iron Man felt completely different from Thor. Favreau in many ways felt very different from Kenneth Branagh; also, they’re both actors and both hilarious people. This chapter that is Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is less superhuman. It certainly focuses on the people that Agent Coulson represents, the vulnerable, extremely talented agents who are there to deal with the world after The Avengers, where a lot of secrets have been revealed, and a lot of people want them."
Continuing the S.H.I.E.L.D. discussion Gregg stated that fans shouldn't expect a tepid, boring procedural, exclaiming "Procedural, to me, implies an investigation and a dryness. There’s just too damn many incredible special effects for me to think of [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.] as a procedural. It’s like a kind of a superhero action dramedy."
RELATED CONTENT: Joss Whedon Explains AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Connection To The Larger Marvel Cineamtic Universe Joss Whedon Presents Marvel's AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Marvel's AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Trailer Breakdown "Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films, as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. Coulson's team consists of Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage; Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), expert pilot and martial artist; Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), brilliant engineer; and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge), genius bio-chemist. Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker, Skye (Chloe Bennet).
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel’s first television series, is from executive producers Joss Whedon (Marvel's The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, who co-wrote the pilot (Dollhouse, Dr.Horrible's Sing-Along Blog). Jeffrey Bell (Angel, Alias) and Jeph Loeb (Smallville, Lost, Heroes) also serve as executive producers. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television."
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