Ever since he popped in to the Marvel panel at the San Diego Comic-Con like a geek ninja to announce that his in-the-works Avengers sequel will be subtitled Age Of Ultron, Joss Whedon has had us all wondering just how the maniacal mechanoid would fit into the world of Iron Man, Thor, Cap, Hulk and the gang. Now, talking to EW, he’s revealed a few details.
According to Marvel lore, Hank Pym, better known as Ant-Man, created Ultron. But since Ant-Man won’t be a part of the new Avengers adventure, and Edgar Wright has said he isn’t featured in the stand-alone Ant-Man film, there will be some origin retooling going on here. The teaser that Whedon brought to the Con showed Iron Man’s helmet slowly being turned into Ultron’s metallic mug, so it seems logical to assume that Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark will have a hand in unwittingly creating the new menace. And here we thought he was done tinkering…
“I knew right away what I wanted to do with him,” Whedon says. “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.” Ultron's bursting with special abilities, including super-human strength, speed, stamina, flight, mind control and a brain the size of a planet, which makes him a great villain. Even if some of that will be toned down for the movie. “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 who’s a witch.” That would be Scarlet Witch, in case you didn’t get the sneaky clue.
With a promise to ground the character while still evoking him, Whedon knows what he’s zeroing in on: “As a character I love Ultron. Because he’s so pissed off.” Maybe he should start an anger management support group with Bruce Banner.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron will hit our screens on May 1, 2015. For more form Whedon, head to EW. To see our interview with Marvel boss Kevin Feige about Ultron and more, it's this way.