It appears that Marvel's fictional espionage and secret military law-enforcement agency, S.H.I.E.L.D is coming to television and it will involve "The Avengers" director Joss Whedon.
According to a story in Deadline, S.H.I.E.L.D. has officially been given a green light for a pilot by ABC. Whedon will co-write the pilot with his brother Jed Whedon and possibly direct it as well.
Production on the pilot is expected to begin immediately. The pilot will be Marvel TV's first project and will appear on ABC, which is also owned by Marvel's parent company Disney.
Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Tancharoen will executive produce with Jeffrey Bell and Marvel TV's Jeph Loeb.
The original acronym of S.H.I.E.L.D stood for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division. However, it was changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate.
In the comic S.H.I.E.L.D's most persistent enemy was the terrorist group HYDRA, which appeared in Marvel's Captain America film. The group has a few prominent members including Nick Fury and Maria Hill, played by Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders respectively. The groups line-up has also included Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan and Gabriel "Gabe" Jones, both veterans of Fury's World War II Howling Commandos.
If Dugan and Jones appear in the television series their backstory would have to be updated to the film universe's fictional timeline. Ironman Tony Starks could also plays a significant part in the show, as the character has done in the comics.
S.H.I.E.L.D is known for using a wide variety of advanced vehicles, weapons and other equipment. So hopefully the show will take place on Helicarrier, the agency's signature capital ship and headquarters. Agents of organization are also known to carry an advanced plasma-beam pistol.
If the show gets picked up it could be fast tracked to begin in 2013.
