By Joss Whedon has admitted that it is "very doubtful" that he will direct Avengers: Infinity War.
The filmmaker told Empire that he is unlikely to return to the Marvel franchise for a while after this year's Avengers: Age of Ultron, as he is looking to focus on his own projects.
"I couldn't imagine doing this again," he said. "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."
He added: "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."
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Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and Captain America: The Winter Soldier's Joe and Anthony Russo have been linked with taking over the third and fourth Avengers films.
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The Avengers: Age of Ultron will see Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson reprise their long-standing MCU roles, while newcomers to the cast include Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver and Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch.
The blockbuster will be released in UK cinemas on April 24 and in the US on May 1. Watch a trailer below:
