In a recent interview with AMC Theaters, actress Ming-Na spoke about her excitement over being a part of Joss Whedon's upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. television series for ABC where she will play S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Melinda May.

I did the audition...I don't want to explain the whole [casting process]. It was intense but at the same time, it wasn't. He's just so welcoming when you come into the audition room...

When asked about how she will prepare for the role, the actress revealed that she won't be reading comics but will be catching up on a whole lot of Whedon's previous work, citing Firefly and The Avengers, for starters.

I am in Whedon-verse all the way...I am going to watch every single thing that he has ever done...I mean I was a huge fan anyway, so I am rewatching a lot...like Fiefly...Avengers I saw again...But I don't think he is going to base it as much on the comics. I think this is going to be sort of like his own thing with Stan Lee...I would rather take it fresh from his point of view.

Well that's certainly interesting! If the Avengers movie is any proof, though, it's clear that Whedon takes a lot of inspiration from the comic book universe and draws from what he already knows. How much of the upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. show will be based on comics remains to be seen, but that might be okay. We have faith in Whedon, what about you guys? Are you looking forward to watching the S.H.I.E.L.D. show?

Source: AMC Theaters

I'm glad whedon isn't just casting white people this time round

In Whedon We Trust

What were we supposed to expect?

Part of me wants it to remain based on the comics but I also like the idea of a fresh take on the comic organization we know well.

Off topic (or not who knows) she's ferociously attractive.

Yeah, there's really no point in referencing the source material you're adapting. Best just to ignore it.

@queenfrost_ said:

I'm glad whedon isn't just casting white people this time round

Sam Jackson is black. Hulk is green. Thanos is purple. Chitauri are grey. :P

I trust Joss Whedon on any tv show he is working on and I defenitely trust him for an Avengers Tv show.

I don't trust Joss Whedon and am not at all surprised to read this.

This is the best/worst news I've heard about the show yet.

Still not looking forward to it.

i didnt really carre to much..but now that Ming Na is in it..im in

So, is this canon to The Avengers?

Clean up on isle splu...

Still wouldn't hurt to try and get Robert Downey Jr. to do a cameo in the Pilot to draw some big ratings.

Is it too much to ask to see Wasp in the show?

I admit my confusion here. I mean, one actress says she will not be reading comics. No where did it say Whedon would not be using them or drawing from them but somehow people are taking her comments as Whedon's and making conclusions. Just wait and see.

ZzzZzzzzz...

I'm curious what people were expecting. There really isn't much to draw from seeing that the show is focused on mostly original characters and not the more known S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

I really really really hope that Joss and company use this opportunity to introduce some diverse character into the marvel universe , I hope he introduces LGBT characters cause he's really good at writing LGBT characters that are more than their sexuality something that every writer should do but still for some reason beyond me isn't , i also hope they introduce characters , from all parts of the world like the middle east or south america and etc ,

Even though I love Joss Whedon's work, I don't know if I'm that interested in the S.H.I.E.L.D TV series, even though I enjoyed the Avengers movie. I guess we'll wait and see how this show goes.

Never liked SHIELD in general, but i'm interested in this show

@reid_jack: yes. yes it is. be realistic not outright dellusional.

I hope the show will be more like the Avengers movie and less like the comics. The comics have been so lame for years and the movies have been so AWESOME, then that's where the SHIELD show should take its cues from.

I can't wait!!

My god.. Imagine if Guillermo Del Toro was still making the Hulk tv series.. Combined with Whedon's S.H.I.E.L.D.

Maybe she means that she is doing her own thing, because the majority of the cast are new characters not in the comics. And there are no Avengers or superheroes and its more spy based than the comics or the movies so far.

I still want it to have lots of Kirby styled technology, but thats OK if it doesn't. The movies haven't either.

I really hope this show turns out to be good. Also, I don't know much of what Ming-Na has been in. She's really pretty though... :P

^@Video_Martian: Chun-Li

Ming Na said she isn't going to be reading comic as her go to. Which is fine he character is not someone who can be referenced from comics. Doesn't mean Whedon hasn't used some of the comics to inspire him.

I'm okay with this.

@Video_Martian: ER, she did the speaking voice of Mulan, a couple other things.

Curious I thought these were going to be comprised of younger characters. I wouldn't call her old because she isn't but she doesn't give off that young vibe either. She gives off a vibe of someone further along in life and career. More of a boss type then someone closer to rank and file.

Given the fact that all the characters seem to be original characters is not surprising that they aren't read any comics, especially since most SHIELD comics focus on Fury anyways

I'm not even going to watch the show at all to e honest. Like... ever.

lets see how this goes.

oh so its basically doing the same thing as iron man 2 take the names and images from the comics and nothing else, every actor plays themselves instead of a character from the book and the plot has nothing to do with the book that inspired

I think this is before Super Humans were actively running around. Since Coulson will be on it I feel it may be a prequel to the Marvel movie-verse. We'll after Cap was introduced of course. This show may be more Burn Notice/24 then The Cape or Heroes.

I'll be watching it. I've watched everything else he's done so far and loved it, why would I think this would suck no matter what he pulls and from where? It'll be awesome because Whedon's attached to it.

Long as Whedon is at the helm, this should be great. In a way its actually nice that Ming Na isn't trying to go by the comics and wants to do a fresh approach. Could be interesting that way...

@Crom-Cruach said:

I don't trust Joss Whedon and am not at all surprised to read this.

Me neither, especially with TV shows. I've found everything he's done on TV to be amazingly corny and cheesball~ish. Yeah, I know that's heresy to a lot of people, but that's just how I feel about it. I will give him Avengers the movie though, it was really well done.

I am actually sort of confused as to why this is getting made into a TV series. I think Whedon has his work cut out for him to get viewers to watch a show about a government agency in a world of superheroes, but I may just doubt it because I thought the short on the Avengers movie was a waste of time.

I hope I am proven wrong by Whedon.

@Target_X said:

Me neither, especially with TV shows. I've found everything he's done on TV to be amazingly corny and cheesball~ish. Yeah, I know that's heresy to a lot of people, but that's just how I feel about it. I will give him Avengers the movie though, it was really well done.

If I expend on my personal opinion of Whedon here, I'll generate a hate storm. That's all I have to say about the matter.

We're adapting this comic... and so we're not taking any inspiration from the comics at all. Sounds logical.

Nathan Fillion as Nick Fury .......

Wololol

Huge fan of Firefly, enjoyed Dr. Horrible, thought Dollhouse had some great episodes but was mediocre overall, and I have no urge to watch Buffy. I consider myself a moderate fan of Whedon because of Firefly and the fantastic job he did with The Avengers, so I am hopeful for the SHIELD series. It'll be cool to have a good comic based TV show on now...Arrow is a big total MEH.

Definately excited for S.H.E.I.L.D and I think Ming-Na will be great on the show, I've been rewatching Dollhouse season 1,season 2 Epitaph Graphic Novel than Epitaph from Season1, Than Epitaph from Season 2. Just I case anyone didn't know the proper watching/reading order for Dollhouse.

well given his history it wil probably be good and then he will kill off the most endearing character but good none the less