Joss Whedon’s future with the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in doubt according to the man himself, speaking to Empire magazine Whedon has cast serious doubt over his ongoing involvement in the Avengers franchise beyond the forthcoming Age of Ultron.

"I couldn't imagine doing this again. It’s enormously hard, and it be, by then, a good five years since I created anything that was completely my own. So it's very doubtful that I would take on the two-part Infinity War movie that would eat up the next four years of my life.

I obviously still want to be a part of the Marvel Universe - I love these guys - but it ain't easy. This year has been more like running three shows than any year of my life. It is bonkers.”

Late last year, Marvel announced its full film slate up until 2019, to the surprise of many the third Avengers movie (Infinity War) was split into two parts. A couple of months ago there had been some credible rumours that Marvel had reached out to Anthony and Joe Russo to possibly handle the Infinity War saga. The sibling directors did great stuff with Captain America: The Winter Solider, they are currently working on the follow-up Civil War, and Marvel Studios have made no secret of their desire to stay in business with them.

Like all fans of Whedon, I was over the moon when it was announced he would be writing and directing The Avengers as his style is a perfect fit for such an ambitious project. The proof was in the critical response and box office receipts, at long last the rest of the world got to see what Whedon is capable of. Whedon still thrives on originality, so, before he embarked on post production on Avengers he found time to shoot Much Ado About Nothing with some old friends at his house. Not many filmmakers unwind after directing a blockbuster by adapting Shakespeare, this is just one of the many reasons why we should all love Joss Whedon.

Avengers Age of Ultron is released in UK cinemas on April 24th and launches in the US on May 1st.