Official Red Skull Photo

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Entertainment Weekly offers this first official still of Hugo Weaving as The Red Skull in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.
 
From previous statements, it seems the character’s appearance is a mixture of make-up and digital effects.

 
 Speaking to director Joe Johnston, it appears that one of the themes of the movie is that the Super-Soldier serum tends to bring out the subject’s inner self, transforming the good-hearted Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into the heroic Captain America, and the Nazi Johann Schimdt into a malignant monster.
This paralleling of Captain America and the Red Skull was also seen in the barely released 1990 CAPTAIN AMERICA film, but Johnston says in the article he never saw that version.
Originally in the comics, the first Red Skull was an American Nazi sympathizer/agent named Maxon who simply wore a mask to conceal his identity.
Eventually his supposed spymaster, the “original” Red Skull was introduced. He was supposed to be Adolph Hitler’s personally-trained protege, the ultimate Nazi—bizzarrely costumed and masked to help instill terror in his subordinates and victims. So good was he at this work, it was said that Hitler himself began to fear the Skull.
Like the Steve Rogers Cap, he survived into the modern day via suspended animation, his name disclosed in time to be the non-descript Johann Schmidt.
During the cold war another Red Skull, retroactively revealed to be the Communist agent Albert Malik, assumed the role. He fought a retconned Captain America successor, and eventually caused the deaths of Peter Parker’s secret agent parents.
 

Rumor Mill: 'Avengers' Villains?

THOR_HIddelAccording to Latino Review,  the villains THE AVENGERS will be facing in the Joss Whedon scripted/directed Marvel team-up film will be THOR’s big bad Loki and the Skrulls.
There’s some plausibity to this claim; back in 2009 Marvel Entertainment honcho Kevin Feige told the site:

“In my opinion, The Skrulls are really the only viable threat that would require so many super heroes to fight as a team. Sure, you could have The Hulk as a villain in the beginning, but then they have to come together for an even bigger threat. Something hinted about in IM2, Thor and Cap by Nick Fury’s presence.
Plus Fox doesn’t have the rights to The Skrulls, only the Super Skrull. But this is just my inner geek thinking out loud and hoping.”skrull_large

Un-named sources claim that Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s evil “brother” is the main villain, and he uses the Cosmic Cube, which will be seen in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER  and THOR to summon the alien Skrulls to Earth.
Of course, we’re all leery of “unidentifed insiders”, so treat this as rumor.  However, other pevious news stories have given this particular item some weight.

Alan Silvestri to Score 'Capt. America'

captainamerica_Emp_artAccording to Film Music Reporter.com, Alan Silvestri (JUDGE DREDD, THE A-TEAM [2010]) will write the film score for CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENEGER.
This was apparently an unexpected choice, as it is the first time the compser has worked with director Joe Johnston (THE ROCKETEER).
Alan Menken (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) is reportedly also on board, presumably to write songs for Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) stint with the USO. Perhaps he might also write some period “source” music.

Capt. America & Thor Super Bowl spots

Until versions that fit our coding, and without added comercials are available, here’s the CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and THOR Super Bowl spots, via Yahoo Movies.
The first real look at CAPTAIN AMERICA is pretty impressive, with seamless appearing FX putting Chris Evan’s head on a shorter, frail-looking body.

The THOR footage is fun, too— giving us the “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor”  voice-over as Chris Hemsworth locates Mjolnar, and a brief shot of Thor in his winged battle helmet.
Videos may play with or without commericals.
 

Nick Fury In 'Capt. America', 'Thor' -Video

On Jimmy Fallon Live last night (Wed, Feb. 2) Samuel L. Jackson confirmed that he will be in both CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER  and THOR.
The appearances will be be one-day cameo shoots wherein he invites the characters to join the Avengers.
He’s also going to be screen testing with five women tomorrow to play his ‘side-kick’ in THE AVENGERS, in which he’ll have a more substantial role.
No word on who this female character might be, speculation on the web and other media has suggested everyone from Janet Van Dyne (The Wasp) to Sharon Carter, agent of SHIELD, and a love interest of Steve Rogers’ Captain America.
via Moviefone

Captain America Movie Tie-In


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Marvel.Com revealed that they’ll be publishing a digital comic CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER movie tie-in.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: FIRST VENGEANCE, an eight issue digital comics series debuting Sunday, February 6 with the complete first issue available for free at captainamerica.com! The issue will then be available on the Marvel Comics iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch app starting Tuesday, February 8.
Written by Fred Van Lente and drawn alternately by Luke Ross and Neil Edwards–along with some gorgeous colors by Richard Isanove–FIRST VENGEANCE weaves in and out of the story of Cap’s upcoming film, introducing readers to new corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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“When we started launching Marvel Studios and decided these movies were interconnected, we established that it’s going to be a separate movie continuity that, while it exists parallel to the comics and allows us to pick the best moments from all the previous continuities, it needs to be beholden unto itself,” explains Stephen Broussard, Co-Producer of “Captain America: The First Avenger.”
Once we established the premise that we did want to do that and we wanted to make sure it made sense as a cohesive, whole piece, it really sort of freed us up to start asking what other stories would we like to tell. And of course there’s no shortage of interesting ideas for all that. Basically anything that we really loved but didn’t necessarily have a place in the film is fair game.”

They also announced that trailer commericals for THOR and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER will air this coming Sunday, during the Super Bowl XLV broadcast.

Captain America Pics, Comments

EmpireOnline is featuring new pictures and comments from the makers of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.

Empire Magazine, March 2011
Empire Magazine, March 2011

According to Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige:
“Scripts had been developed that took place half in World War Two, half in the modern day and none of those scripts were particularly successful because the costume ended up overshadowing the man. So we finally said, ‘If we could make a Captain America movie any way we wanted to make it, how would we make it?’  Well, we’d set the entire movie in the past, in that period, with all of the Marvel trimmings. And so we made the fun, kick-ass Captain America movie we wanted to.”
Director Joe Johnston said: “I’ve always loved Raiders (of the Lost Ark) and the tone that it had… It was period but didn’t feel like it was made in the period. It felt like a modern-day film about the period, which is what we’re doing on CAPTAIN AMERICA. It will not feel like a war movie. It’s funny where it needs to be and emotional where it needs to be and serious and full of action.”
captainamerica_Emp_artStar Chris Evans is dquote as saying “I think he’s the ideal human… Not just American. It’s what being a good person is. Steve’s managed to overcome all the shortcomings he’s had in life and he does what’s good and what he believes is right.”

Regarding Kevin Feige’s comments about Captain America’s costume, I really have to say: “WTF?” Are you sure you get the basic concepts of  costumed superheroes? NEVER be ashamed, worried, or self-concious about their iconic, established and time-honored appearance. Because if you are ambivalent, the attitude will likely be reflected in the film, to its detriment.  
Worry about the plot, acting and truthfulness to the published and popular source material, and not so much the material of the costume.
Sure, make the costume the best that you can, avoid shiny spandex if possible, use a darker or muted color pallete if you must, but don’t get hung up on the “will the costume be acceptable to a non-comic book audience?” question. In my view,  the believability of the characters’ actions, motivations and story is what’s important,  even to the the casual movie-goer.  
So much of what is coming out of the makers of this Captain America film seems so tone-deaf towards the character and his long-time appeal, and full of a desire to distance themselves from the comic book — particularly the original, patriotic aspects of this intensely patriotic character, created intentionally to present and espouse all the best ideals of the country.
Hopefully, all this apparent avoidance and equivocation we’re hearing from some of them regarding the source material and the character will not  undermine  the finished film.
 (Stepping off soap-box, now.)
The full story will be featured in the March issue of Empire Magazine, which should hit stands in the UK Feb. 3rd, and probably by week’s end in the US.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER is due in theaters July 22nd, in 2-D and post-converted 3-D.

Capt. America in Action – Photo

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From The L.A. Times, here’s the first official picture of Chris Evans as Cap in an action scene from Marvel Entertaiment’s upcoming CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.
The outfit, properly photographically graded, is starting to grow on me a bit, I must admit.
Look for Captain America to hit the screen July 22nd.

Chris Evans in Full 'Capt. America' Suit

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Scanned from  Entertainment Weekly, via SuperheroHype, here’s a new shot of Chris Evans as CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.
Very Ultimate Captain America, I guess. The ‘hero’ costume doesn’t look much better on Eveans than the ill-fitting one did on his stuntman.
What was wrong with the idea of a form-fitting chain-mail shirt, anyway? They were actually tried  in World War I & II.  And why is it powder blue, and not say, a dark navy/indigo, like the America flag? Grumble…
Gotta admit those Hydra goons (I  assume) have a definite Jack Kirby vibe to them.