It was way back in 1941 that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created the comic-book hero known as Captain America; a rather sickly solider named Steve Rogers, who signs up to be a test subject in the Super-Soldier serum programme, and is subsequently enhanced, and becomes the very epitome of human perfection (and the best, flag-wearing, weapon that the government has to use against Hitler in World War II); and since then there have been a number of films (such as the 1944 serial, and the 1990 movie starring Matt Salinger, of ‘The Year That Trembled’), and TV series (both animated and live action) that have featured the character, whom Marvel Studios are now planning to revive for another feature film.
After an extremely lengthy casting process, Chris Evans has been named as the next actor to play the patriotic hero, and is no stranger to comic-book films himself; having played the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movie (which Fox has announced is also soon to be getting a reboot), Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and made an appearance in The Losers; yet still says that the role of Steve Rogers seems “pretty daunting” to him.
Daunting in a way because he can’t be played like the current Marvel man-of-the-minute, Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr.), because Steve Rogers is the exact opposite of Iron Man’s everyday personality, Tony stark; instead of being a cocky show-off who’s always late, Steve is the dependable, all-American, do-gooder; which leads Chris to believe that “there’s going to have to be a different approach” (although he’s still undecided as to whether or not he’ll be going all out and dying his hair blonde for the role).
But daunting or not, it’s a role that he’ll be getting used to, as The First Avenger: Captain America will only be the first movie in which he dons the star-spangled costume and shield, as not only are there plans to turn Captain America into its own successful franchise, but he’s due to play a rather important role in Marvel Studios’ upcoming superhero crossover flick; The Avengers (which is due out in 2012).
All providing that the hero survives his run-in with Hugo Weaving (The Matrix), who will be playing the first film’s villain, Johann Schmidt, otherwise known as The Red Skull; a man that is supposedly one of the greatest threats to ever face humanity; who, in this incarnation, will be a Nazi officer who has been personally groomed by Hitler for terror and intimidation, and wreaks havoc over war-torn Europe, before running into Captain Steve.
Hayley Atwell (The Duchess) is also attached, and will be playing Steve’s love interest, Peggy Carter; a character who originally fought with the French Resistance during World War II, worked with Steve on a number of occasions, and fell in love with him (despite him not even knowing her name, and becoming separated just before the end of the war), but Marvel have reported that her character will be receiving an update for the new movie; which will also feature a young Howard Stark (Tony Stark’s father), as was hinted at (by the inclusion of Captain America’s shield in the chest of his things) in the latest Iron Man film.
The film is due to be released on July 22nd 2011, and should start filming any day now, with Joe Johnston (Jumanji) in the director’s chair; but for anyone who can’t wait that long to get a glimpse of the Captain, he can be seen in a host of video games, a couple of animated TV series, and even lends his name to a restaurant chain in Ireland.
