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So Marvel Studios is moving toward a deal with Chris Evans to star in The First Avenger: Captain America, the Joe Johnston-directed film that had every hot young actor in town trying on the red white and blue uniform. This was a world class bake-off, though I heard that Channing Tatum and Garret Hedlund passed. Now it’s down to negotiating, where Marvel plays hard. They originally told reps of candidates who tested that the first movie would pay around $300,000 and any deal would come with nine options to play Captain America in future Marvel movies. Here’s where Evans name value and past history playing The Human Torch in Marvel’s Fantastic Four will pay off. He might not get paid a fortune, but he won’t be asked to mow Marvel chief Kevin Feige’s lawn, in costume.
Chris Evans In ‘Captain America’ Deal Mode
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bad move. i knew marvel studios was too good to be true.
Chris Evans is a deceptively nuanced and skillful action-oriented actor– with a romantic side that is Hollywood’s best kept secret. You guys REALLY haven’t studied at him closely. He makes multiple level emotions look so simple and natural, nobody would ever doubt it– no matter how silly the role.
Be real!
So The Human Torch is playing Captain America?! Man, that is some brain dead casting right there.
Complaining about actors playing multiple superheroes is like complaining about actors portraying multiple cowboys! “Jimmy Stewart as ANOTHER cowboy?” Sounds pretty stupid doesn’t it?
That is just stupid, Marvel Universe is a unique place, with unique characters. Cowboys are a dime a dozen. I guess we will not see any FF/Avengers crossovers.
I think Evans’ performance in Fantastic Four was spot-on, but Captain America is a much more stoic and commanding hero. Not sure I see Evans playing that as effectively as he does a cocky jokester. And the comic nerd in me is doesn’t like him playing two different Marvel superheroes. And he seems too young. I would have gone with a slightly older actor.
He’s one of the oldest actors they had test for the part.
100% agreed. He still has that young cocky look that is meant for a teenage/college beer movie. No offense but I don’t see him blooming into an adult actor in the next couple of years. I mean, De Caprio went through the a similar stage. It’s kind of normal with some actors that have the little boy look.
Have you watched him in anything? He has the chops to go all the way. He has charisma to spare, nuance and lots of charm. He is an excellent choice, given the age range Marvel wanted to stay within. So glad Tatum was not selected.
How about Jon Stewart?
That would be interesting to see. Middle America would literally burn if Jon Stewart was cast as a character named “Captain America”.
Well their re-doing (or re-booting, whatever) the Fantastic Four movies, so they will get someone else to play The Human Torch, which means in this new series of films, Evans shouldn’t be associated with Johnny Storm.
Folks should give the guy some respect as an actor and let us not be guilty of what we condemn the studios for … which is the sin of typecasting.
Or is that too “troll-ish” a concept?
I completely agree with you. I think John Hamm would have been the best choice for the role.
Oh one hand, it could be so much worse. On the other hand, I’m letting out a “Big No”
What a cheapskate Marvel is. 300K for a big production. Why not get 5 year old kid to act the part….the profits can feed the fat of the land for them
I think that fee was for a newbie. Evans guys at CAA will get him a lot more.
Evans is underestimated. He’s just been in some not-so-great flicks. FF was AWFUL and he was the saving grace of it. Yes, it was obvious jokester stuff, but still he’s shown some shine in what he’s been in. He should definitely be given a chance – if Crawford e.g. was, then Evans certainly should be.
Better than some of the other choices but not exactly a good choice in my opinion. And they had promised us an A-list actor last year… But I suppose that´s what you get if such a tween obsessed company as Disney is taking control. It´s not important if he is fitting the role – he has to fit the company profile.
guess that kills any FF / Capt America cross over stories. What a myopic approach to casting this film. Gabriel Macht would have been a better choice despite being miscast in the Spirit. Not to mention Jon Hamm as others have already stated. Chris Evans was good as the human torch because he was age appropriate. He is just completely wrong for Capt America as far as his many fans know the character. Even in the 1940′s Capt America was not meant to come across as a young hot head
…even if anybody *really* wanted to see more of those painful Fanastic 4 movies that FOX made, they weren’t going to get them anyway. FOX still owns the rights to 4, and they have already announced development on a brand new take with a brand new cast and crew. This might be posturing to bring Disney/Marvel to the table to buy out FOX’s option on the 4 characters, but whether Disney buys them out or waits them out and then reacquires 4, there’s not going to be some Back to the Future-style time/space continuity implosion, because the Fan 4 series that FOX was making is over.
Gabriel Macht I can defiantly see. I wouldn’t say he was miscast in The Spirit but that the whole project had the wrong direction. I’ve always thought Tom Jane or Aaron Eckhart would have been great but they are both too young now.
What I think a lot of people are forgetting is that Steve Rogers is one of the few comic characters with a birth year (July 4th 1917) making him roughly 24 when the comic began in 1941. This film is going to mostly be focusing on a character who goes from 24 to 28 (which will be his age in the Avengers).I think when that’s taken into consideration Evans was the best of the guys they were screening.
Groan…this’ll suck.
Viggo Mortenson, gosh darn it. Captain America should be an older, slightly grizzled actor who will bring some weight to the role.
They should make this movie like the first two x-men movies, darker, more serious films. Contrast X-men 2 with the nonsensical fluff that was the fantastic four.
I think Viggo Mortenson is a terrific actor, however, the role of Captain America, IMO, needs a certain physicality/presence. I would like to see an actor who has the mass/gravity and athleticism that Jack Kirby envisioned.
Too bad Reb Brown had to get old!
I don’t know if he can handle this or not but check him out in Sunshine, he plays a soldier. In fact that may be the movie that got him this audition. I think they should go indie I think Kirk from the Star Trek reboot might have more of the presence needed.
Yeah I was thinking his performance in Sunshine might’ve helped him here, too. It was quite good: showed presence, flawed heroism, and a seriousness that Fantastic Four viewers weren’t familiar with. I’m slowly talking myself into it…this could work really well. Could.
Has no one seen Sunshine (or even Cellular), the guy has some range and I have no doubt he can pull off Captain America.
Not that casting has me worried at all, its the DIRECTOR choice that is going to doom this movie. Joe Johnston hasn’t directed a movie with a pulse in over a decade. Look at his credits, given a big budget and name actors, he’ll give you a big giant mediocre turd (JP III, Hidalgo, The Wolfman).
@Mr. B
Fantastic Four is being rebooted, that news has been around for some time now…
@SkullLeader
Steve Rogers was 26yrs old when he took the Super Soldier serum. EVANS is 29yrs old. Another effect of the serum is that it caused him to age slowly, Marvel had no choice but to cast young. They are attempting to bring unparalleled continuity to their movies. 6 films = 10yrs…..and that is being extremely generous. A 38yr old Captain America just wouldn’t work.
As for EVANS being unqualified, check out some of his non-comedic performances (Sunshine, London, etc.) he actually does have range.
EVANS was third on my list behind JENSEN ACKLES and JUSTIN HARTLEY whom I preferred because they are unknown to the average moviegoer. He’ll do fine….I still have my reservations about Johnston however.
Do people really think that Marvel is going to end up making 6 or 10 or whatever amount of movies out of all this? The sun is shining now, but things always change.
I’m not understanding this.
According to the Marvel Universe Steve Rogers is 6’2 240 lbs. (after the transformation into CA).
Evans claims to be 6′ (which might mean 5’11) and can’t be anywhere NEAR 240lbs.
I’m going to guess 180 (soaking wet holding a brick or two.)
Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but since Captain America is stoic, strong and “reflecting the ideals of America” how smart is it to go with a guy who’s primarily known for being a jokester?
Sure, he’s an actor and he has many levels outside of Hollywood stereotypes and the niches they stick him into, but a guy who’s already played a well known Marvel character? (Johnny Storm – FF)
I just don’t get it.
Redefining and changing characters for movies is fine when it’s not a flagship character (X-Men’s Wolverine is 5’3 in the comics but Hugh Jackman is 6’2) but for a character named Captain America?
A role that would sell itself just on name recognition alone? You could cast a total unknown and tickets would be sold.
No disrespect to Marvel (or Evans) but I assume they’re caring less about the character’s symbol status and more about reaching out to kids.
But the thing is…People are going to complain and bring up points like the ones I’ve made here only to say it was a genius move if it’s done right.
Good luck to Mr. Evans and Marvel. This is a big one to tweak.
So let me get this straight: they cast an actor within three inches of how tall Captain America is “supposed” to be, and said actor is built as hell (just type “Chris Evans” into Google Image Search), and that’s too much of a deviation from the character?
I also don’t see this as “reaching out to kids” at all. The last thing Marvel would want is for Evans to act exactly like Johnny Storm. My guess is he got the movie on the strength of his performances in more serious stuff like Sunshine and Push.
Finally, I don’t think Captain America is quite as well-known as you think. Well, more specifically, he’s well-known, but that ends with name/costume recognition. Go ask a random person what his real name is. Ask anybody what his origin story is. Superman or Batman, he ain’t.
Some people never learn or have zero imagination. Michael Keaton was Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice before BATMAN. Tom Hanks starred in Bachelor Party and Splash before going stellar. Yes, Chris Evans was the Human Torch and Patrick Stewart was Captain Picard on Star Trek before become Professor X in the X-MEN movies, and he was very successful at it without wearing a mask like Mr. Evans will. Yes he has to gain about 20 pounds of muscle, but he has acting skills, range and charisma. If I were Chris, to GET Captain America, I’d study great American icons of film. Starting with Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch for his stoic dignity and intelligence, Hanks in The Green Mile for his decency, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones for his devil-may-care audacity, Errol Flynn for his grandiose swashbuckling, Christopher Reeve’s Superman for his nobilty and finally John Wayne for his leadership and patriotism.
ive been in a room with evans many times. claiming even 5’10 would be generous
All that’s left now is to lock in Ed Norton (and hopefully William Hurt) to reprise their Hulk characters in Avengers and pick a director for that film. Louis Leterrier would be a fantastic choice. (His Clash of the Titans is probably about to have a huge opening.)
Of all the actors who were up for the role, Evans was the best choice by far. Although slightly young for such a revered hero, he’s got the physicality and acting chops (see: Danny Boyle’s Sunshine) to pull it off.
If he was in FF who cares? Those movies were turds in the hands of Fox and don’t count towards the current continuity that Marvel is creating.
This Iron Man has a great actor behind all the emotions
Cap has an actor that can easily be confused as a cast member from the HILLS…
Good luck Marvel Films…
I am really suprised at these offers being an avid follower of Captain America. When they were working on this a while ago, I read that Michael O’Hearn(former Mr. Universe and Titan from American Gladiators) was being considered to play this part which I believe is more dead on for this role.
Who are they casting for the reboot?
I really wanted John Cena to play this part – but the choice is made. I think it’s only fair to give this guy a chance. So I’m gonna wait till I see the movie before praising or criticizing.
Good Luck to him. Hope he pulls it off.
And let’s be honest. A movie is only as good as its script – no matter who the actor is.
I guess I’m in the minority here. I think Chris Evans is a good choice. Better than Channing Tatum or John Krasinski!
No matter who they cast as Captain America, you can’t expect him to act like Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man. Captain America is a more serious character. Anyone that plays Captain America opposite Downey Jr.’s Iron Man in the Avengers movies will pale in comparison, but those are the characters. Tony Stark is going to joke around and Steve Rogers is just going to stand in the background and roll his eyes.
Don’t worry, Chris Evans can play serious.
Why has no one brought up Paul Walker? He’s perfect for Cap.
because he couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag, im afraid.
Thats what I was thinking. With my very limited knowledge of comic books, isnt cap amer california looking blonde hair blue eye?
…are there really fans out there who really believe that all Marvel had to do was ask, and Viggo Mortensen (who announce his retirement last year, btw)or Jon Hamm would have signed a beginner’s contract and put on a costume to jump unto rockets and throw a shield at things for nine movies, for the same paycheck their agents get them to make one? Take notice everybody: ‘Geeks’ and ‘nerds’ are two completely different things, and nerds are the smart ones.
zzzz…I smell a big fat turd of a bad movie coming up. a blathering, stinking CGI fest of absurd proportions, worse dialogue and directing.
We shall see..Christopher Markus is actually a good screenwriter, it’s Joe I’m worried about. I’m not sure about this casting. I think Evans lacks charisma, especially for a big leading role like this but he could surprise.
i am glad it is chris evans. Happy we are not getting stuck with someone like kellan lutz or channing tatum. Sure evans isnt my first pick. i was rooting for guys like hedlund/vogel/porter. But evans is a very suitable pick.
Plus everyone has to remember sure he did play johnny storm in two FF films. But they were licensed out films made by fox studios and not marvel. Marvel studios are a totally different unit and the licensed out characters films were/are never going to cross over with the marvel studios film banner characters.
Plus evans wont be playing cap like he did johnny. He can do more then comedy and has the charm/persona and play serious characters. He done it in films like sunshine and all that. So i cant wait to see how captain america turns out.