Plenty of ink has been spilled concerning the extraordinary success of 'The Avengers' but with "Phase 2" of Marvel's cinematic slate about to begin, we're going to be spilling even more. Although 'Iron Man 3' hasn't even hit theaters yet, all eyes are already on 2015, 'The Avengers 2' and writer/director Joss Whedon, who recently discussed the pressures of making the sequel to one of the biggest movies of all time.

Speaking with Total Film magazine (via Comic Book Movie), Whedon discussed what it's like to be tasked with making a follow-up to what many consider to be the ultimate superhero movie:

“The only pressure is the pressure that is there every time I do a new project. Is it going to be good? It is going to be different? Is there even a reason to make another one? Is there a reason for this to be my next thing? Can I pull it off? I am not going to try and match the box office of the first one because that would be bonkers."

Most of us worry about our small, day-to-day jobs -- Whedon has to worry about the future of one of the biggest moneymakers in Hollywood history. Surely he's allowed to feel a little pressure, right? He continued, making it clear that an 'Avengers' sequel will have to be something completely different so the audience doesn't feel cheated:

"Yes, there is a certain level of safety - because now people know about The Avengers and they like the characters so it probably won't completely crash and burn. But you don't want to just get by and do something that is merely OK. If I am going to dedicate three years of my short life to this then I want to do something that I have never done before. So I think of The Avengers 2 as a glorious challenge - it is a sequel, yes, but how can it be different? Of course, the pressure that I don't feel, my body internalises. It happens all the time. I was comfortable making the first Avengers, but I didn't sleep during it.”

'The Avengers 2' is scheduled to arrive on May 1st, 2015. Marvel fans can ease the wait with 'Iron Man 3,' 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier,' 'Thor: The Dark World' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy.'

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