Casting Couch: “The First Avenger: Captain America”
Now that it looks like Joe Johnston’s The First Avenger: Captain America is going to start shooting next summer, Marvel will have to find a man to wield the shield. Who will the house that Spidey built nab to play Steve Rogers?
While a lot of prognostications nab younger actors, I think they’ll pick a somewhat grizzled screen veteran. Captain America seems like the quintessential American man’s man, so he needs to resemble one. Plus, when you consider his Nazi-fighting past and the cryogenic-like hibernation that lasted several decades, a “mature” Rogers seems like the logical choice. Let’s say 30 and up for the thespians on this list. (Here’s a very compelling argument for the casting of an older Steve Rogers.)
Since Rogers is also 6’2″, I think the actor should be 6-feet tall or taller (or close). Hair or even skin color isn’t as important as handsome, masculine looks and a good frame either. On the other hand, I don’t think the public would go for a Captain America who was too grungy (Josh Holloway) or too pretty (Paul Walker). He also should be American (sorry, Nathan Fillion) I also don’t think actors like Brendan Fraser and Matthew McConaughey are “serious” enough for the role. John Cena? Please. And Leo, you’re the man. Just not the right man.
Considering the aforementioned criteria, here’s a list of 10 candidates Marvel could tap to play Cap:
Rogers That!?
Adrian Pasdar
Man, does this guy have a superhero face or what? He’s a pretty damn fine actor, too, as evidenced by his work on Heroes. He’s also played a superhero before, which would aid him in his preparation for this role.
Mark Valley
Here’s an actor who’s receiving crazy Captain America buzz. Plus, he’s starring in a new comic book TV adaption for FOX — Human Target (which has a sick cast). This wouldn’t be uncharted territory for him.
Super-Soldier Serum Sleepers
Josh Lucas
I just think he looks like an All-American guy. Not too pretty, not too rugged. I think he’s got the look. Maybe producers wouldn’t consider him tough enough for the role, though? Hard to tell. Appeared in Ang Lee’s Hulk, so he’s another comic book vet.
Patrick Wilson
Here’s an actor I love who’s destined to explode this decade. I could see him bringing humanity and honor to the shield. Anyone who has seen Little Children or Watchmen (another comic book film!) knows he is physical enough for the role, too.
A-List Avengers
Jake Gyllenhaal
I’m a fan of Jake’s, and I know he’s doing the action thing in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time…but I have a hard time seeing this. Then again, Christopher Nolan damn near cast him as Batman, and you’ve gotta trust his taste at this point.
Brad Pitt
After seeing him do everything from Fight Club to The Assassination of Jesse James to Inglorious Basterds, I wouldn’t put pulling off Cap past him. If the folks at Marvel want to ensure Box Office success for their most ordinary of superheroes, they could go this route. He could also be distracting in this role.
Chris Pine
Hey, we know he can play a badass. We have also recently seen A-list stars take on the lead role in two action franchises simultaneously (Christian Bale and Robert Downey Jr.). I think he’s got too much rebel, too much swagger, in him for this role, but maybe he just really nailed the James T. Kirk role?
Will Smith
I love this choice. OK, stop screaming at me fanboys. I think Marvel could go really, really deep if they made this pick, and they’d also be set at the box office. Smith would guarantee that both this film and the big Avengers one would rake in the dough. We’re talking The Dark Knight cash here.
Cream of the Cap
Aaron Eckhart
Eckhart just looks like what many of us envision Captain America looking like. He’s also a fine actor who, like many of the other actors on this list of contenders, has superhero movie experience. A movie like this would bump him up onto the A-list.
Jon Hamm
He should be Marvel’s No. 1 draft pick. The guy absolutely owns on Mad Men, and he’s just waiting for his big break on the silver screen. If there’s an actor who could pull off Steve Rogers and what he stands for better than Hamm, I’d like to know who he is.
I wont see it if they pick Jake Gyllenhaal. I’ll see it twice if they pick Jon Hamm.
Randy Couture. His nickname is already Captain America, and he can beat the tar out of all those guys for real.
http://cdn.bleacherreport.com/images_root/slideshows/180/slideshow_18050/display_image.jpg
that’s him walking away after pounding a guy who’d beaten him by an accidental cut into paste in their rematch
Will Smith are you f****** kidding.
[...] Casting Couch: "The First Avenger: Captain America" [...]
WEll. LEONARDO DICAPRIO is the MAN!!!!!!! forget bout his raggy voice.. he’s now turn into grown leading actor. Go LEO!!!
Why not Adam Baldwin? He was great in full metal jacket. He’s been great in Chuck, Halo ODST, and Mass Effect 2. He’d play Steve Rogers perfectly.
I find this list very well thought out (with the debatable inclusion of Will Smith), me and a co-worker enjoy casting movies that haven’t been made yet and this has been a tough choice for us. You’ve given us some good possible choices to chew over.
Adrian Pasdar or Jon Hamm are the best for me. Adrian Pasdar’s head is so superhero like. ROFL.
Chris Pine can’t be the captain because he is already going to be playing Thor, and you can’t be two avengers at once lol.
ummm. Where’s Matt Damon? If anyone has seen Saving Private Ryan, it’s clear that Matt Damon was destined to play the CAP.
Will Smith is a pox on movies.
I hate when they take a well established character and dramatically change him/her. Captain America is a Well Defined character with alot of history.
I think casting Will Smith as CA makes ABSOLUTELY no sense as an Icon of Freedom from WWII. Just like the Wild, Wild West, why was he even in that film. The modern, empowered Black man did not exist in the 1800′s and if He did, he was soon dead. that is just the way things were. I understand that this is fantasy but, some things are just so weird that It turns the story and film into some foolish money grab from the hiphop crowd.
It’s as stupid as casting Slim Shady as the next Black Panther, prince of an African nation?
Will Smith is the worst possible choice, and not just because it would be a horrible distortion of the character, but because he’s WILL SMITH. His presence would pretty much guarantee Cap could not be taken seriously, and there would be a ridiculous pop/hip-hop tie-in song, something like I don’t know, “Shine them shields!” or something. You already got to turn Nick Fury from a grizzled badass who is known to crash hovercycles through walls shirtless while firing off two laser pistols and smoking a cigar… with Samuel L. Jackson with an eye patch. I hate his interpretation of the character. You got Halle Berry ruining Catwoman too. Come back and talk to me when you think it would be a brilliant, groundbreaking move to make a Black Panther movie where the BP actor was white.
Also, this is all academic, the guy from Push and Fantastic Four already got the part for Cap. I have mixed feelings about this.
Xero1014, you are mistaken. Chris Hemsworth is playing Thor not Chris Pine. Right movie, wrong Kirk.
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