Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. is a planned American television series created by Avengers director and creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, Joss Whedon, and based on the Marvel Comics shadowy government organization of the same name. It will be produced, beginning in January 2013, by Marvel Television and air on the ABC network, and will be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (following the battle for New York), sharing continuity with the films in that franchise. A pilot, to be written by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, and directed by Joss Whedon, has been given the green-light. It is expected to air during the Fall 2013 season.

According to Joss Whedon, the show would be autonomous from The Avengers.

“It’s gotta be a show that works for people who haven’t seen the Marvel movies. It will please Marvel fans, I think. It’s new characters. It needs to be its own thing. It needs to be adjacent [to The Avengers]. What does S.H.I.E.L.D. have that the other superheroes don’t? And that, to me, is that they’re not superheroes, but they live in that universe. Even though they’re a big organization, that [lack of powers] makes them underdogs, and that’s interesting to me.”

Cast and characters will include:

Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson: An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who oversees many of the division’s field operations. The character will headline the series.
Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May: An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who is an ace pilot and weapons expert.
Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Gemma Simmons: An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who specializes in life sciences (both human and alien) and is the close partner of Agent Leo Fitz.
Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz: An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who specializes in weapons technology.
Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward: A gruff, anti-social manly man in his early 30s who’s great at his job but not so great at getting along with his coworkers.
Chloe Bennet as Skye: A “geek” character described as “bubbly and goofy” but “also warm, edgy and witty.” She’s in her late 20s and can more than hold her own in any situation.

UPDATE 2/24/13: As announced on Twitter, shooting has begun.