S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV Series In Development

• S.H.I.E.L.D.

A few weeks ago it was announced that Joss Whedon had signed a deal with Marvel that would keep him with company until 2015. During this time he would help creatively on some of the Marvel films leading into Avengers 2, which he will return to direct. As part of the peal he Whedon would also be developing a TV series for Marvel, however what the series would be about remaining a mystery, until now!

ABC has picked up Joss Whedon's "S.H.I.E.L.D." to the pilot stage as a part of his exclusive deal with Marvel Studios. It wasn't long after this was reported that we all started to wonder where it would fit into the larger scheme of the Marvel films.

Variety now has some quotes from Whedon about the project that said not to call it a 'spinoff.' Whedon also said the film will be 'autonomous' to The Avengers sequel that he is writing and directing.

Whedon will write the pilot alongside his brother, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen (who previously worked with Whedon on "Dollhouse" and "Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"). All three will also join Jeffrey Bell and Jeph Loeb as executive producers. It's rumored that Whedon may also direct the pilot, but that nothing is confirmed at this time.

Production on the live-action project will begin immediately, with Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Tancharoen executive producing alongside Jeffrey Bell and Marvel TV's Jeph Loeb.

S.H.I.E.L.D. marks Whedon's return to the small screen. He most recently served as showrunner on Dollhouse, in addition to cult favorites Buffy andFirefly. Tancharoen and Jed Whedon were writer-producers on Dollhouse as well as Starz's Spartacus.

Joss Whedon and the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury

So how involved will Whedon be? Variety's Cynthia Littleton tweeted that "[Joss] reserves right to pepper in bits here and there. His bro Jed and Maurissa T. will be showrunners, he'll just show up every now and then 'and take credit for everything.'"

With the Pilot given the green light we have to say that it wont be long until we see the agents of SHIELD pop up on our TV screens on a weekly basis.