From The Avengers, Joss Whedon turns to Shakespeare

American director Joss Whedon was taking a holiday from editing hisbig-budget picture The Avengerswhen he created hisracy new version of Much Ado About Nothing.

The director, known for quirky hits like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dr. Horribles Singalong Blog shot the low-budget film in 12 days in his own Santa Monica backyard.

Whedon is accustomed to writing his own scripts, so it was a challenge with work with the existing words, he says in an interview with CBCs Eli Glasner.

But he considers it a "privilege" to adapt Shakespeares intricate game of love for the screen, saying hes always admired its snappy dialogue.

The sparring lovers Beatrice (Amy Acker) and Benedick (Alexis Denisof) will be familiar to fans of Whedons earlier workAcker starred in Angel and Cabin the Woods, Denisof was in Angel and Buffy. Also making an appearance is another of Whedons regulars from Buffy and Firefly, Edmonton-born actor Nathan Fillion, who plays Dogberry.

Despite sticking closely to Shakespeares original text, Much Ado bears Whedons stamp, with each characters motivations getting a careful examination, so that every facial expression, every reaction seems fresh and somehow inevitable.

Much Ado About Nothingwas a Toronto International Film Festival special presentation.The black-and-white film was the first production of Bellwether, a mini-studio started by Whedon and Kai Cole.