Jon Favreau Wants To Direct Avengers Movie

Politically Correct University keg-hunter turned director Jon Favreau is all over our monitors today picking a fight with George Miller's un-geeky, tween-appealin' Justice League. Who's got his back you ask (Vince Vaughn's passed out)? Why, it's Marvel's brawny Avengers! Yes, Fav told MTV that he wants to throw a movie party with Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant Man, Captain America, and a way deep bench, and unlike Miller's flick, his will star Christian Bale and Brandon Routh throwing blows dammit! Actually, no, but Favreau states that he wants the big name actors from the individual Marvel films, which would currently lasso Ed Norton and Robert Downey Jr., to star.

"I wonder if the tone of 'The Incredible Hulk' is going to be similar or different than ['Iron Man']," Favreau questioned. "And 'Captain America' is a twinkle in Marvel's eye right now. And 'Thor' and 'Ant Man.'"

"[But] in the case of Marvel they're pretty clear on wanting to do it with the actors who've established the roles or to not do it at all. That's what they've said to me," he continued. "I think it's a good idea if you use the characters established in the other franchises that then come together for an event. I don't think they would do it like they're doing 'Justice League' where it's a whole different set of actors and a whole different take on the world."

Now, this pitch is cool, but so is your life becoming Big Love co-starring Natalie Portman, Megan Fox and Scar-Jo. Maybe it's just me, but I want Christopher Nolan's Batman to stay that way, and I want Bryan Singer's Superman to fly back into the arms of Marlon Brando for a long space nap. The geeks criticizing Miller for not casting Bale opposite Wonder Woman or worse, Aquaman, when Nolan's Batsy bows down to gravity, realism and lacks any superpowers are rabid gluttons. There, I said it. If that version of Bruce Wayne could possess an invisible jet, he'd whip out the black AmEx. We are essentially arguing over characters that can have tens of variations, and that's the beauty of their source: comics. Why not film, too?

It will be interesting to see where the comic book genre goes after August, because the studios seem keen on another decade or two of these films filling up the summer tentpole slots. As much as I think Ironman will shake a mighty devilfist and connect big at the box office, the recent trailer for Hancock made me realize that a dude flying through the air next to a jet just ain't all that anymore. It almost looks cooler if said dude is chillaxing in street clothes. Feel free to pick up a boulder and throw it at me in the comments down below, especially you wily Rockateer fans.