In 2019, the Avengers and the Marvel saga reached a crucial moment with the tragic loss of Iron Man, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. Since then, fans have passionately pleaded for the return of their beloved hero, longing to witness the superhero in the multiversal drama. However, it’s vital to acknowledge that sacrifices are unavoidable when great wars are fought, and Iron Man selflessly made the necessary sacrifice to protect the world from impending doom.
Similarly, the acclaimed director behind Marvel’s blockbuster films, such as The Avengers in 2012 and Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, had experienced a slight disappointment regarding a similar aspect of the Marvel universe. Joss Whedon, the director, felt disheartened when the television series Agents of SHIELD brought back the beloved character Agent Phil Coulson in 2013, as he thought it affected the carefully crafted narrative of the Avengers saga.
Also Read: Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek’s Comments About Thanos Would Make Many Avengers Fans Upset
Joss Whedon Did Not Want to Bring Agent Coulson Back to Life
Back in 2015, during an interview with the media outlet Mental Floss, the Avengers director, Joss Whedon shared his thoughts on the controversial topic of resurrecting deceased characters, especially within the franchise. He explained,
“A lot of people come back in The Winter Soldier. It’s a grand Marvel tradition. Bucky was supposed to die. And the Coulson thing was, I think, a little anomalous just because that really came from the television division, which is sort of considered to be its own subsection of the Marvel universe. As far as the fiction of the movies, Coulson is dead.”
He then delved into the reasons why the revival of characters affected him, underscoring the emotional weight and narrative implications it carries. The Avengers director then stated,
“I think it’s disingenuous to say we’re going to fight this great battle, but there’s not going to be any loss. So my feeling in these situations with Marvel is that if somebody has to be placed on the altar and sacrificed, I’ll let you guys decide if they stay there.”
Moreover, he emphasized that such revivals challenge the already established stakes and consequences within the storytelling framework. By bringing back deceased characters, the narrative dynamics are altered, prompting viewers to question the impact of death in the fictional world. Therefore, although he did not personally enjoy Marvel undermining his direction, he also did understand why they did so.
Also Read: Thanos Turned the Hulk into His Dog, Made Him Eat All the Avengers: “He literally ate America’s A**”
Joss Whedon Explained Why Marvel Brought Phil Coulson Back to Life
In addition to expressing his personal opinion, Whedon acknowledged his understanding of the collective decision made by the executives of the 2013 TV show to bring Coulson back to life. He recognized Coulson as being too important of a character to be sacrificed so early in the story, and thus in turn were forced to bring him back to life. He said,
“There’s a thing where you can do that so many times and there’s nothing at stake. But it’s difficult because you’re living in franchise world—not just Marvel, but in most big films—where you can’t kill anyone, or anybody significant. And now I find myself with a huge crew of people and, although I’m not as bloodthirsty as some people like to pretend”
The Avengers director then went on to share his personal experience and how the death actually affected him years back when he revisited his movie, he said,
“But I have to say, watching the first one with my kids—I had not watched the first one since it came out—and then watching it with my kids and watching Coulson die but [thinking], “Yeah, but I know that he kind of isn’t,” it did take some of the punch out of it for me.”
While Agent Phil Coulson’s revival served a purpose within the Marvel universe, the debate surrounding Iron Man’s fate appears to have settled, as his death served a significant narrative purpose, providing a significant realization for audiences that everything had been leading up to that pivotal moment since the inception of the franchise.
Source: Mental Floss
