Joe Johnston Spills Details on Captain America

Published by Jeff Leins on: February 8th, 2010

The Wolfman press junket turned out to be the bevy of information about Marvel’s upcoming The First Avenger: Captain America.  While we don’t necessarily know who is donning the red, white, and blue suit just yet, we’re quickly finding out everything else about the comic book origin story.  The director of both films, Joe Johnston, provided the details, fielding the major questions about casting, villains, costume, and the story.

Johnston told press they need a name by March 1, and they’re currently testing 5-6 actors ranging from ages 23 to 32.  He has said before he wants to cast a fresh name, but over the weekend he confirmed the final choice will definitely be an American.  (Sorry Ray Winstone.)  The plan is to surround this relative unknown with an ensemble of familiar faces though.

The only name to have surfaced thus far is Ryan McPartlin, who appears on NBC’s “Chuck” and lost the role of Superman to Brandon Routh when that costumed hero returned in 2006.  Though, to be clear, McPartlin was probably one of many that fit the physical description.

We already knew the plot would center on the soldier during World War II, so it should come as no surprise that production will primarily take place in Europe, where the story is set.

Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America) will start as a USO performer, which will allow him to wear the signature, flashy stars and stripes suit, reports the LA Times.  Once Rogers goes AWOL and joins combat, the costume will be toned down to more appropriate, battle-ready gear like that of the recent comics (pictured right).

Fighting alongside him will be the Invaders, according to CHUD.  The combat team will be an international task force of six members, which explains how Marvel hopes to sell a patriotic U.S. character to foreign audiences.  It’s unclear if they’ll be genetically superior soldiers like Cap, as they were in the comics.

Rogers and his comrades will do battle with Red Skull, the villain in the July 22, 2011 release according to AICN.  The film’s WWII setting means the character will be his original incarnation, a Nazi officer who wears an intimidating red skull mask.  In some versions of the comics, the Red Skull’s terrorist activities (espionage and sabotage) leads to America’s creation of Captain America in order to counter the Nazi threat.

Finally, Johnston is planning to shoot using 2D high-definition (specifically the Genesis camera) and any 3D conversion will happen in post-production, if at all.  He told Collider it will be shot “in a different way than any of the other Marvel pictures have been shot.”  Photography starts in London this June.