Joss Whedon's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

I don't have time to write this entry. I should be catching up a super secret writing assignment. When I'm not doing that, I should be researching (read as: watching TV) for another super secret comic that I'm pitching for. But you know what? It was just announced that, during his two week long vacation from shooting THE AVENGERS, Joss Whedon directed an adaptation of Shakespeare's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

Yes.

Clicky for the info. Clicky here for a bit more info (mostly through tweets) gathered by Whedonesque.

BELLWETHER PICTURES

Now, I have no idea what Bellwether Pictures is. Google doesn't give much info either, and if Google doesn't know, who does? (Perhaps Jeeves would have, God rest his helpful soul.) Considering who is working on the thing (it seems that everyone who has worked with Joss before), it seems like this may be a fancy new name for Mutant Enemy. That, or maybe the impossibly busy Joss enlisted the help of another company to co-produce this thing? There's no way to know, but this "Bellwether" thing does nothing but make this mystery more... mysterious.

THE CAST

Alexis Denisof as Benedick. Amy Acker as Beatrice.

Amy and Alexis's chemistry is goddamn criminal that it's so good, and truly became the heart of ANGEL in its final seasons. So we know that's going to be awesome - but how about the rest of that cast? Just look at those names.

THE PICTURE

The picture of Topher - er, Fran Kranz - in a pool with a snorkel and a glass of wine definitely evokes modern. However, Nathan tweeted that he's been speaking Shakespearian (which he compared to an intelligent version of Yoda speak - YES), which definitely evokes... not modern. Well, Early Modern, says the English major, but you catch my drift. I think if they set it in a modern setting with modern sensibilities but use Shakespearian dialogue, it will set a nice anachronistic dichotomy that will make this so much funnier.

THE LENGTH

This has got me confused. While it's clear that Joss is the fucking Flash (or maybe he's Hermione with her time-turner - annnd now I just pictured a mash up of Joss and Emma Watson and it was not pretty... sorry guys), it's hard to believe that he did a full-length movie in two weeks. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is meaty play and would thus make a meaty movie, so my gut is telling me that this might be slightly... abridged? However, the cast is... let's just use the phrase fucking giant. And that just makes me think that this is not at all abridged and that Joss better go have a serious conversation with Green Arrow, because he must be on speed.

FINALLY... WHEN?

Principal photography is done. So... when can we see this? I'm betting sometime in 2012, which promises to be the Whedoniest year since the man had three shows simultaneously on TV.

April 13, 2012: THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (co-written & produced by Whedon)

May 4, 2012: THE AVENGERS (written and directed by Whedon)

??? ? 2012?: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (seems to mean directed by Whedon)

Every month in 2012: New issues of BUFFY SEASON 9 and ANGEL & FAITH (all executive produced by Whedon, some of the former written by Whedon)

Joss Whedon is a Time Lord, isn't he?