Joss Whedon is no stranger to geek circles. The creator of such highly-acclaimed TV series as Buffy the Vampire SlayerAngelFirefly, and others, Whedon entered the majority of peoples’ radars when he directed 2012’s record breaking blockbuster, The Avengers. Unbeknownst to many people is that he also short, wrote, produced, and directed a black and white modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing directly after shooting ceased for the superhero film.

Shot during a relatively short 12 day schedule, Whedon’s retelling of the Shakespeare classic stars a who’s who of Whedon collaborators, including Nathan Fillion (Firefly), Amy Acker (Dollhouse), Alexis Denisof (Buffy), Clark Gregg (The Avengers), Fran Kanz (The Cabin in the Woods), and Sean Maher (Firefly). Much Ado About Nothing is about a a bumbling police constable, Dogberry (Fillion), who must investigate a scheme being plotted by Don John (Maher). In the clip below, aptly titled “I Am an Ass,” Dogberry reacts hilariously to being called an ass by one of Don John’s supporters, Conrade (Niki Lindhome).

Fans of Whedon will appreciate his sense of humor, especially when juxtaposed with Shakespeare’s style of writing comedies. The black and white also helps create a film noir vibe to contrast with the adherence to Shakespearean language. Much Ado About Nothing will be coming to theaters on June 7th for a limited theatrical release.

[via IGN]