Joss Whedon To Write, Direct 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' TV Pilot

Forget "The Shield," Joss Whedon is bringing "S.H.I.E.L.D." to the small screen. The "Avengers" director has give a pilot order to Whedon to co-write the project based on the Marvel comic, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Whedon is expected to co-write the pilot episode with his brother, Jed Whedon, and his wife, Maurissa Tancharoen, the same trio who had previously cooked-up the popular three-part web series "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." If Whedon's schedule works out, he is also slated to direct the pilot.

The live-action show, rumors of which popped up earlier this summer, will be based on the classic, long-running comic created by legendary comic book writer and artist Jack Kirby. That series focused on the secret law enforcement agency Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistic Directorate, which was led by cigar-chomping World War II fighter and super-spy Nick Fury.

In the comic world, Fury enlists a group of superheroes including Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and Thor to thwart an attack by Thor's adopted brother, Loki.

Whedon tipped his hand a bit on the show after a screening of comedian Mike Birbiglia's "Sleepwalk With Me" on Tuesday night during a Q&A session in which he said the series will not be an "Avengers" spinoff and it meant to be "autonomous to the film storylines." He does, however, reserve the right to "pepper in bits here and there."

The show would mark Whedon's return to series TV, after a cult-favorite career that has spawned such beloved shows at "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse." Deadline reported that in addition to the "S.H.I.E.L.D." series, Marvel TV is working on a number of other projects with ABC Studios, including a new small screen adaptation of the "Hulk" series.

Whedon has already agreed to develop the sequel
 to this summer's smash "Avengers" movie, and, like the first episode, he will both write and direct.