Joss Whedon Writes 'Thank You' Letter To 'Avengers' Fans

Following the worldwide record breaking box-office success of Marvel's The Avengers (over $744 million and counting), and the official announcement that the sequel is on the way, the film's Screenwriter / Director wrote a letter to thank the fans who have assembled in droves to see the film. Courtesy of the fansite Whedonesque.com, here is what, in typical Whedon fashion, he had to say:

"Dear Friends,

Well, it's been quite a weekend. Someday, long from now, I will even have an emotional reaction to it, like a person would. I can't wait! But before I become blinded by this "emotion" experience, there's a few things I'd like to say. Well, type.

People have told me that this matters, that my life is about to change. I am sure that is true. And change is good -- change is exciting. I think -- not to jinx it -- that I may finally be recognized at Comiccon. Imagine! Also, with my percentage of "the Avengers" gross, I can afford to buy... [gets call from agent. Weeps manfully. Resumes typing.] ...a fine meal. But REALLY fine, with truffles and s#!+. And I can get a studio to finance my dream project, the reboot of "Air Bud" that we all feel is so long overdue. (He could play Jai Alai! Think of the emotional ramifications of JAI ALAI!!!!)

What doesn't change is anything that matters. What doesn't change is that I've had the smartest, most loyal, most passionate, most articulate group of -- I'm not even gonna say fans. I'm going with "peeps" -- that any cult oddity such as my bad self could have dreamt of. When almost no one was watching, when people probably should have STOPPED watching, I've had three constants: my family and friends, my collaborators (often the same), and y'all. A lot of stories have come out about my "dark years", and how I'm "unrecognized"... I love these stories, because they make me seem super-important, but I have never felt the darkness (and I'm ALL about my darkness) that they described. Because I have so much. I have people, in my life, on this site, in places I've yet to discover, that always made me feel the truth of success: an artist and an audience communicating. Communicating to the point of collaborating. I've thought, "maybe I'm over; maybe I've said my piece". But never with fear. Never with rancor. Because of y'all. Because you knew me when. If you think topping a box office record compares with someone telling you your work helped them through a rough time, you're probably new here. (For the record, and despite my inhuman distance from the joy-joy of it: topping a box office record is super-dope. I'm an alien, not a robot.) So this is me, saying thank you. All of you. You've taken as much guff for loving my work as I have for over-writing it, and you deserve, in this our time of streaming into the main, to crow. To glow. To crow and go "I told you so", to those Joe Blows not in the know. (LAST time I hire Dr. Seuss to punch my posts up. Yeesh!) Point being, you deserve some honor, AND you deserves some FAQs answered. So please welcome my old friend and certainly not-on-my-payroll reporter/flunky, Rutherford D. Actualperson!"

A FAQ followed this letter which can be viewed at the original source via Whedonesque.com.

Up next will be his micro budget adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing featuring a cast of Whedon All Stars: Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), Amy Acker (Angel, The Cabin In The Woods, Dollhouse), Fran Kranz (Dollhouse, The Cabin In The Woods), Clark Gregg (The Avengers), and Sean Maher (Firefly). The film is set to debut later this year.

Film Review - THE CABIN IN THE WOODS ★★★★☆

It's hard to pinpoint the best way to review The Cabin In The Woods, but the best start to it would be to simply just recommend seeing it.

Co-written by geek God Joss Whedon and his Buffy The Vampire Slayer collaborator Drew Goddard (who directs here and also co-wrote Cloverfield), this horror gem had been sitting on the shelf since 2009 until Lionsgate picked it up from MGM. Wisely setting it for release just in time to capitalize on both Whedon's foray into the big screen mainstream with Marvel's The Avengers, and rising star Chris Hemsworth, who has made a name for himself as Thor since he was cast as a then unknown in Cabin.

To go into the meaty details of the plot would be spoiling the fun. That is no to say that it is a roller coaster of massive twists and turns that would be wrong to reveal, but the enjoyment is to witness it all methodically unfold and challenge all your expectations of what you would assume to transpire.

The commercials and trailers do a commendable job of minimally teasing the skeleton outline of the plot. Five friends embark on a weekend excursion to a secluded summer house for typical college hijinks. But the cabin is not at all what it seems as a an underground high tech control room appears to be in control of the ensuing death, destruction, and mayhem.

Cabin never screws with your head regarding what is up to behind the curtain. From the very beginning you are in on the backstage workings of the button pushing techies played by Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, and Whedon-verse staple Amy Acker. And the film is very much about its excellent play on the importance of the journey and the destination.

How it all fits together while winking to the audience is what makes the film so fun, and not in the same way Wes Craven's Scream was the refreshing in-your-face game changer in response to a generation of stale slasher film standards.

Hemsworth is joined by Fran Kranz (Dollhouse), who as the stoner with the best reality grip on the situation, has a majority of the winning witty lines that Whedon is great for providing. Kristen Connolly also turns in a strong performance as the shy girl turned reluctant horror movie scream queen warrior.

The conventions played with and subsequently turned on their asses will make you realize that there can be gems sitting on a shelf begging to see the light of day. Whedon has tapped a top notch production crew, including Director of Photography Peter Deming who also shot Evil Dead 2, Scream 2, 3, 4, and Lost Highway, and delivers the perfect effective horror mood to the big screen.

While it does get to the gore when it needs to, it's not necessarily over the top scary because of the way it plays its horror genre hand to the audience. The less is more review here is for best, and thankfully there has been a gentleman's agreement online for not revealing massive spoilers since its premiere at SXSW in March. I will easily call The Cabin In The Woods wildly entertaining, smart, and original, and not to be underestimated, missed, or simply grouped in with your run of the mill horror fare.

REVIEW RATING: ★★★★☆
Directed By: Drew Goddard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Whitford, Fran Kranz, Richard Jenkins, Kristen Connolly
Studio: Lionsgate
Rated: R

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