Spoilers For Cap Film

[savemoony.livejournal.com]

March 1, 2010 is the deadline for casting Steve Rogers. According to wired.com:

Johnston expects to name the film’s star within the next couple weeks, drawing from a short list of six actors up for wielding Cap’s shield. “The youngest is 23,” Johnston said. “The oldest is 32. Most of the guys in the war are just kids, 18 or 19, but we want to go a little bit older.”

BigShinyRobot.com has reported that:

According to MY studio guy, the rumors about Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill), Ryan McPartlin (Chuck), Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) and other unknowns/television actors reading for Cap are true.

Apparently, when the script came in with World War II sequences (featuring the Invaders), the studio heads decided it was beyond their means to make this movie AND afford A-listers like Brad Pitt and Matt Damon.

Sure sounds like everyone’s high on McPartlin, who evidently just lost out on the Superman role to Brandon Routh.

Folks should take the Big Shiny Robot information with a grain of salt. It actually came out before Johnston's interview. McPartlin is 34; meaning if we take Johnston's comments as The Word Of God, McPartlin is out. Moreover, this is the first confirmation I've seen that's Jensen Ackles read for the role. I'm trying to withhold my SQUEEEEEEE. The three all have contractial obligations with television shows, so regardless of who they cast, they will have to work around their tv schedule. Murray and McPartlin would be easier to write out of their respective shows. Jensen and Jared are in every scene of every episode of Supernatural. Working around Jensen's schedule will be most problematic. But, like my friend in the business says, "if Marvel wants him badly enough, they will make it out."

Now... Now onto script spoilers.

The LA Time's Hero COmplex blog interviewed Joe Johnston. Johnston revealed how Steve Rogers gets his mythic costume:

"The costume is a flag, but the way we're getting around that is we have Steve Rogers forced into the USO circuit. After he's made into this super-soldier, they decide they can't send him into combat and risk him getting killed. He's the only one and they can't make more. So they say, 'You're going to be in this USO show' and they give him a flag suit. He can't wait to get out of it."

"So he's up on stage doing songs and dances with chorus girls and he can't wait to get out and really fight. When he does go AWOL, he covers up the suit but then, after a few things happen, he realizes that this uniform allows him to lead. By then, he's become a star in the public mind and a symbol. The guys get behind him because he embodies something special."

There will be more than one costume in the film, too.

In the first USO sequences, the frustrated patriot will be wearing a version that is closer to the classic Jack Kirby-designed costume, but then later as the super-soldier hits the war zone he will be wearing a sturdier, more muted version that he makes himself that is more like battle togs. The stripes across his mid-section, for instance, will be straps, not colored fabric.

"He realizes the value of the uniform symbols but he modifies his suit and adds some armor, it will be closer to the Cpa costume in some of the comics in more recent years . . . this approach, it's the only way we could justify ever seeing him on a screen in tights, with the funny boots and everything. The government essentially puts him up there as a living comic-book character and he rips it off and then reclaims some of its imagery after he recognizes the value of it. We think it's the best way to keep the costume and explain it at the same time."

Steve Rogers never wore tights you asshat.

Johnston confirmed there will be tie ins to Iron Man and Thor, and the modern will have modern day book ends. IGN (and multiple other sources) are reporting the director revealed that The Invaders will "be in the entire second half" of the film. IGN is also reporting that Red Skull will be the Big Bad.

On a happier note, Robert Downey Jr is awesome. Downey Jr recently told SFX Magazine:

"The Avengers" [is] a culmination of the first four years of movies from Marvel Studios. It's the pinnacle, but only if it's done in the smartest and best and most creatively sound way possible. And I'm not saying we can't get there. I'm just saying it would be better to get there and not stay on schedule than to get everyone what they were hoping for in terms of a release date but not do it correctly. And by correctly, I mean my way," laughed Downey.

Comments

[flight-wo-wings.livejournal.com]

I do actually agree with you to a certain extent, but some reason Johnston doesn't seem to want to go that route. Maybe he realizes how unpopular Ult Cap is, and doesn't want to his movie to be associated with that version of the character. Or maybe he just wants to try something new.

My point, though, is that a lot of people outside comics fandom don't seem to be aware of those facts about Cap. They don't really know who he is, who he used to be -- they just see this blond Adonis is a flag suit. I think Johnston is trying to create a character development arc that takes those facts about Steve, makes them explicit, and then explores his transformation into the Cap most people know, while still keeping his human side. But that's just a guess. In any case, I think we can all relate to the themes of disappointment and humiliation, though I'm with you in hoping they won't dwell on the USO stuff too long. A few establishing shots, maybe a montage, would be more than enough.

[valtyr]

Hm... Ult Cap is not that unpopular, really. The Ultimates sold well, and he was a central character in that.

It's an origin story! It's supposed to make people aware of those facts. I don't see why they need to bolt on a chorus line to explain his costume. How about "Here is your somewhat gaudy costume, for propaganda purposes." There, no need for dancing girls. OH WAIT I know why, it is their only chance for scantily clad girls in a WWII piece.

Honestly? I just found this. "Johnston, who prefers Ed Brubaker's current run on the series to the Cap stories of the 1960s and 70s, admits he wasn't a huge fan of the character or of comic books in general. But he believes that will serve him well on this project."

Dude doesn't like comics and he doesn't like Captain America. In fact, he prefers Bucky as Cap, not Steve.

[booster-blue.livejournal.com]

So we could potentially be getting a Bucky as Cap movie, only he'll look like Steve. Okay.

[flight-wo-wings.livejournal.com]

Okay, that wasn't my impression, but fair enough.

I don't see anything in that article that says he prefers Bucky to Steve. He said he prefers modern comics to the stuff from the 60s and 70s -- so do I. I'd rather read a Flash trade from the early 2000s or the late 90s than a trade from the 60s or 70s, but that doesn't mean I like Wally West more than Barry Allen. (Actually, most of the time I kind of want to punch Wally in the face.) He also says that he doesn't really like comics in general, but I agree with him that the Biggest Captain America Fan Ever might not be a good candidate for directing this movie. You can't make a good adaptation by following the source material to the letter. Christopher Nolan realized that while making Batman Begins, and look at how well that turned out. A True Fan would probably be reluctant to make any changes at all. I still don't see any reason to expect anything other than a good movie out of this guy.

And god forbid we have fanservice in a movie based on a comic book.

[valtyr]

Well, there are certainly people who don't like Ult Steve, and they are vocal, but he doesn't sell badly, and he certainly has fans.

He specifies Brubaker's run, which is largely focused on Bucky. While I don't think Cap's Biggest Fan should make a movie about him, I think creators should like and understand the characters they work with. He doesn't like Cap, he doesn't like his costume, he doesn't like his origin.

Honestly, fuck fanservice. I have an internet connection. I can see all the boobs I want at the click of a mouse. I can buy a magazine. I do not need my narratives mutilated and derailed so some jiggling tits can be crudely shoehorned into the movie. The story works well with fanservice? Fine! Tony has dancing girls, Mystique is arrogantly naked. Enhances the mood of the story. But fanservice for the sake of it just leads to "Oh, Jessica Alba's clothes have fallen off again. It wasn't that funny the first time. Now can we get back to the story? I didn't realise I was watching Carry On Superheroing."