Joss Whedon is officially returning to Marvel Studios to write and direct the 2014 sequel to The Avengers, according to Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger. In addition, Whedon will be creating a Marvel universe based TV series for the ABC network.

While not shocking, this announcement should come as a bit of relief to both fans and Disney executives. The Avengers is the third highest grossing film of all time, and that is due in no small part to Whedon. His work in comics, specifically his run on Astonishing X-Men, has endeared him to comic fans everywhere for some time, but Whedon is best known for the creation of acclaimed television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse. Few directors, if any, would be able to excite multiple fan bases the way Whedon can. Also, as mentioned earlier, The Avengers made quite a bit of money, so there's the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra to be considered.

Aside from his overall popularity with fans, Whedon's deft screenwriting ability and overall knowledge of, and love for, Marvel's cast of characters has been cited by many critics as perhaps the biggest reason for the movie's success. And with rumors of Marvel looking to expand its Avengers universe to the small screen now confirmed, it would seem a prudent move to keep Whedon around, given his many successful and critically acclaimed television ventures.

All things considered, today's a pretty good day to be a Disney executive.