Disney and Marvel have announced the news that every self-respecting geek has been waiting for – that Joss Whedon will return to write and direct The Avengers 2.

Better still the former Buffy and Firelfy maestro will be penning a spin-off TV show for ABC set inside the Avengers world, something recently announced with only minimal details.

Thinking about that world however it makes sense that it would be set inside the world of S.H.I.E.L.D (the organisation who brought the Avengers together) and basically be a cop show, only with very obvious fantastical elements.

Don’t expect Iron Man or Captain America to show up, but with Whedon writing the script it can already be considered highly anticipated.

Whedon has written for ensemble casts his whole career, which is why he was the perfect choice for Avengers despite his lack of big screen directing credits. In the film earlier this year he juggled the multitude of characters expertly, and had anyone else taken the reigns for the sequel alarm bells would have surely sounded.

Marvel have basically laid all their cards out for their so-called Phase 2. First comes Iron Man 3’ next year, closely followed by Thor: The Darker World in the winter. In 2014 Captain America returns with the subtitle The Winter Soldier, then it’s the turn of a new franchise in Guardians of the Galaxy. There is also an Ant-Man film in the works.

This makes a 2015 or even 2016 date for the film likely. It’s a long way off, but it gives Whedon and Marvel a long time to plan. After all, we already know who the villain will be thanks to the post-credits scene in The Avengers.