Joss Whedon's previously reported live-action Marvel TV show—a "high-concept cop show" many assumed would take place in the world of S.H.I.E.L.D.—has been confirmed to take place in the world of S.H.I.E.L.D. (so aren't those people super smart?). What's more, it already has a pilot order at the Disney/Marvel-owned ABC, and Deadline reports that Whedon and his Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible collaborators/family members Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen are set to start immediately on a pilot script that Whedon may direct, provided he can find time in his busy schedule of making Disney/Marvel all the big-screen money.
According to an interview he gave to Variety, Whedon's involvement with the series thereafter may be somewhat limited, with Jed and Tancharoen serving as official showrunners alongside former Angel showrunner Jeffrey Bell. However, Variety's Cynthia Littleton adds that Whedon "reserves [the] right to pepper in bits here and there" and also, in his own words, "take credit for everything." (And as it won't officially be "A Joss Whedon Show," perhaps this will suppress TV executives' innate response to seeing his name by quickly canceling whatever it's attached to.)
Whedon says the show itself will be similarly "autonomous" from the Avengers movies, focusing on the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division (or the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate, or the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, or the Stupid Hat Intestinal Exploding Lazy-Eyed Dimwits, depending on what acronym you prefer), and that it won't necessarily feature any of the characters from the films. That may or may not be news to Samuel L. Jackson, of course. It is almost definitely welcome news for Amy Acker.