The Problem With Captain America That No One is Talking About
By now you've no doubt heard that Marvel has tapped Chris Evans to play Captain America in The First Avenger: Captain America. If he accepts the nine (nine!) film deal that he's being offered, Evans will join the Marvel universe for a second time--he was Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four--and keep the anti-Channing Tatum contingent from burning Hollywood to the ground. That's all well and good obviously, and Evans is actually good for the role (even the geeks agree!), but there's seems to be an even bigger problem with this planned summer 2011 tentpole than who dons the red, white and blue tights. Namely, Joe Johnston.
Obviously Marvel can't get big name directors for every one of their properties (see Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk), but doesn't Captain America rate a tad higher in the Marvel hierarchy than Thor? Yet the latter film has Academy Award-nominee Kenneth Branagh behind the lens, while the former has the guy who directed Jurassic Park III.
While announcing Johnston as the choice, Marvel's Kevin Feige highlighted his special effects work on the original Star Wars and in Raiders of the Lost Ark before mentioning movies he actually directed, like The Rocketeer. That's a problem. Having a third-stringer like Johnston mold one of the biggest properties in the Marvel stable feels more than just extremely odd; it's short-sighted and downright foolish. Perhaps the geeks should stop worrying about who plays Captain America and start worrying about the movie itself. Unless, of course, they're fine with seeing "From the director of The Wolf Man" above the title come 2011.
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
Let's not throw Joe Johnston under the bus already, huh?
Remember, this is MARVEL'S Captain America. If the Iron Man and Hulk movies have shown one thing, its that Marvel Studio movies are PRODUCER driven instead of DIRECTOR driven. In that case, a hired gun like Johnston fits the bill for what they want.
One, he's cheaper. That's a always a good thing.
Two, his movies show he has a handle on special effects and period pieces, which the Cap movie is looking to be.
Let's all stay positive.
And here I thought when I read the title of this article that the problem would be CAPTAIN AMERICA IS IRISH-AMERICAN, something that no one seems to be talking about as well. Chris Evans Irish is not.
I've been worrying about this since I they announced Joe Johnston!
I really hope Joe doesn't mess this movie up, he already failed relaunching The Wolfman franchise.
Hey now, there are some circles where "From the director of the Rocketeer and Jurassic Park 3" is a good thing.
I like Johnston as a director. I suppose he's more of a craftsman than an artist, and you could certainly knock him for not being picky with his scripts, but "downright foolish"? He's not Uwe Boll.
I love The Rocketeer and October Sky was solid. Jurassic Park 3 was also fun... and really, does anybody ever say, "Oh man, Johnston ruined -- RUINED -- the Jurassic Park franchise!" It was actually a leaner and meaner adventure than The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
We were all tired of "Jurassic Park" by the time III rolled around, but I think it's the best of the bunch. Freed of the baggage that comes with being A Steven Spielberg Film, it got right down to the business of delivering B-movie dinosaur thrills, which is all the book ever did.
"The Rocketeer" looked great and was very stylish too, it was just... "The Rocketeer."
And THAT I think is the problem with "Captain America." He's a generic superhero right down to his name, and these days there's something a bit dated and queasy-making about the whole idea of him. Or at least him as a hero.
Hey! Captain America goes to Iraq and messes it up! I'd watch that.
Anyway if there is a risk in Johnston it is that he will deliver a credible adaptation of the source material.
And by the way, if you LIKE the source material, don't wish Kenneth Branagh on it. The only think too sturdy for that dude to mess up is Shakespeare.
Some of us geeks think Rocketeer was pretty good...
People have been talking about this ever since Joe Johnson was given the job. Where have you been?
I was hoping this article would actually have something that has not been said a thousand times over already. If no one is talking about it, perhaps its because its already set, while the casting of Cap is not.
Wow! If this writer thinks that Joe Johnston is a 3rd tier director then he is sadly mistaken. Joe Johnston is one of the most underrated director's out there. He was personally picked by Steven Spielberg to direct Jurassic Park 3. There are also sequences in the movie The Rocketeer that are among the best in Hollywood. The problem with that movie is they ran out of money and had to pull back the story and scope of the picture. But if you watch the first action sequence in that film I believe you get a feel for what he can bring to the table. Let's also not forget that The Wolfman is NOT Joe Johnston's true movie...he stepped in at the 11th hour to fill in for Mark Romanek when Mark pulled a suck attack that CG was going to be used (the horror) and didn't like the script. Oh and he also directed October Sky, Jumanji and Honey I shrunk the kids...the man has chops and has just been waiting for something like this...Joe Johnston is going to show the world what he can do with this movie and people are going to be singing his praises in 2011 just wait.
I guess I'm the only guy that liked Hidalgo.
The Rocketeer hasn't aged well, but the big problem with the film is that Johnston and company didn't have enough money to include all that much rocket-action. The film remains wonderfully cast, impeccably acted, and evokes a nice sense of period. I'm assume money for action set-pieces won't be an issue this time around. And Johnston is one of those directors who knows how to stage an action scene so it is coherent, easy to follow, and contains a clear sense of geography. Point being, Marvel knows that if The Avengers is supposed to be the mother of all comic book epics, they know that everything that comes before has to work on a narrative and spectacle level. I was thrilled when Johnston was hired, concerned when I saw The Wolfman, and remain cautiously optimistic. I still think they should have cast Jon Hamm as Steve Rogers, but that just leaves Hamm available for whatever plans Chris and Jonathan Nolan have for their Superman reboot.
Tom Hanks would've been a more suitable choice of director.
a 9-picture deal? that's sounds borderline exploitative. would Evans have to host children's parties too?
that's the kind of contract you force on an unknown, still wet behind the ears. Evans, while no A-lister, is hardly a rookie anymore looking to make an impression.
if he is waffling, i certainly can't blame him. on a side note, i'd never watch Tatum play Capt. America. never.
Holy comments...Look at all the free time we have on the weekend!
I remember this other comic book movie that came out. When they announced the director I thought "The guy that directed Elf? Really? Ironman is going to suck..."
And I'm sure we all remember how badly Ironman sucked.
Seriously though, why beat up on a guy before he even made the movie? His previous movies have looked good. Jumanji and Rocketeer all had a great style to them. You can't fault a guy when the writing isn't up to par.
So, lets all wait till the movie comes out. Then, if it sucks, we just take the creators out back and beat them with socks filled with soap.
9-picture deal is not 9 full films. It's like Samuel L Jackson's. He'll be required to cameo/ pop up in various other Marvel films. Probably a 4 full film deal. After that you'd need a new younger actor anyway.
Johnston can do a very capable film. As it's been mentioned, Wolfman is a clean-up job for him. But unless he discovers a new flourish it's doubtful it will be a remarkable film and will be very dependent onthe stars charisma
Chris Evans should have been happy with his Torch gig because him as Captain America is a BIG MISTAKE This roll was to go to Channing Tatum and I don't care what any one says(CARGO)He would have been a wiser choice HELL the man's record speaks for itself LOOK AT "DEAR JOHN" IT KICKED avatars ASS!and the ass of that John Travolta piece of "blank-blank-blank That Paris thing so Captain America had the potential to be a major blockbuster now look it won't even get the chance can any one say PUSH? and a note to CARGO stop hatting--- Mr Tatum is a PHENOMENAL ACTOR And He has proven that far more times than Chris Evans so cut him some slack thank you
I'm first and foremost a Thor fan so that I'm gald that they got KB as director.
That said I didn't wish Captain America anything less.
I've been a Marvel fan since 1962, check out some of my fan fic:
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1276881/David_Scholes
I'm also an Australian science fiction writer:
http://www.StrategicBookPublishing.com/ScienceFictionandAlternateHistory.html
http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Reading-Science-Fiction-Scholes/dp/1449581889/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261366245&sr=1-1
Cheers
Rocketeer was classic.
9 films for this jingoistic "why doesn't every body in the world LOVE America when we have such good-natured happy-go lucky torturers, Killer Drones and assassin squads trying to run the rest of the world for the benefit of a very few very rich individuals, who claim to represent America?" line of propaganda... No, not propaganda, propaganda is latin for "planting seeds". This is more like Fertilizer for the crop. Poor kid, having a contract like that facing him. Good luck though, selling it. That's a left-handed comment. Kind of the exact opposite of "break a leg".
Channing, it's time to get off the computer and get to your job at the strip club.
HaHa that's a good one NOT! and for your information Mr Tatum gave up stripping a long time ago He is now on his way to an Academy Award so stop being such a hater
If Chris Evans accepts the role, good luck to him. I think he is as good a choice as any of the named contenders (with the possible exception of Scott Porter)
Sorry but Tatum was too young looking for Cap anyway.
Surprised Sam (Clash of the Titans) Worthington wasn't considered, but guess that's irrelevant now if Evans accepts.
As for Johnston? From the few interviews where he has mentioned the movie, i'm a little apprehensive of anyone who claims they are not a fan of comic-books (at the same time, Steven Johnson was a big comics fan, and Ghost Rider sucked and blew at the same time)but i can see the vision in the Rocketeer even if the finished product suffered(through finance more than director failure).
So, good luck Mr Johnston, here's hoping you hit one out of the ball-park.The world couldn't handle another lame Cap movie, Albert Pyun and Matt Salinger anyone?
Cap will be a difficult movie to film and remain true to source since he'll either be set in the thirties or it'll be current era and Cap is getting to be an aging icon. Ironman was obviously current and Nick Fury mentions putting together a team (why is Nick Fury putting together anything but SHEILD ?)so he's got to include Cap who was born in the twenties (he's approaching 90 years old. Either that or you explain how such "super soldier" experiment arebeing allowed nowadays and that's ludacris. My opinion.
do a captain america check list and see if this guy matches it
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2227414/
Next »