for a 2000 release but never produced. In 2002, Millar and artist Bryan Hitch further expanded Marvel's Ultimate line with The Ultimates, a reimagining of the company's Avengers team. The title also proved highly successful, although it suffered from delays in shipping due to Hitch's personal issues. The Ultimates was eventually cancelled after 13 issues and two years of publication with the aim of relaunching the title so that more issues could be produced in advance. The Ultimates 2 launched shortly thereafter and also suffered from delays, this time due to Millar's newly-diagnosed chronic condition and increased workload at Marvel. The second volume as well as the creative team's run on the title ended in 2007 with another 13th issue. Millar and Hitch's work on The Ultimates inspired two Marvel Animated Features titled Ultimate Avengers and the subsequent 2012 Marvel Studios feature film The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon. Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who portrayed the character Quicksilver in the 2015 sequel film Avengers: Age of Ultron, stated that it also drew inspiration from the Ultimate comics. In 2002 and 2003, Millar wrote a column for Comic Book Resources. Around the same time, Millar's website included a teaser for a 6-issue Punisher series with artist Steve Dillon, although no official announcement was made by Marvel. In 2003, Millar and artist Terry Dodson launched Trouble at Marvel's newly-revived Epic imprint, a series meant to re-popularize romance comics that ended up both a sales and critical failure. That same year, Millar renewed his exclusive contract with Marvel for two more years. The following year, he penned two 12-issue runs for titles published under the Marvel Knights imprint, launching Marvel Knights Spider-Man again with Dodson and taking over the Wolverine ongoing series with artist John Romita, Jr. Millar and Ultimate Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis launched a new ongoing series for the Ultimate Marvel imprint, Ultimate Fantastic Four but left it after just six issues due to scheduling problems. Millar and artist Greg Land were announced as the creative team for a new Thor ongoing series but the pair took over Ultimate Fantatic Four instead. Millar's return to the title introduced, among other things, the concept of Marvel Zombies. During this period, Millar was assigned to write a trilogy of mini-series that would introduce Galactus to the Ultimate Universe but he left the project due to other commitments at Marvel and health issues. In