When the studio was in the earliest development stages for this film, they had several directors approach them with interest in helming Cap's first solo movie. IRON MAN director Jon Favreau was one of the first, but he wanted to lean more into comedy and that was something Marvel Studios did not want for this particular character, so Favreau chose to helm IRON MAN and IRON MAN 2 instead. Then, the studio showed some concept artwork to THE INCREDIBLE HULK director Louis Lettier, who wanted to take the reigns, but the studio told him thanks but no thanks.
Marvel Studios finally hired Joe Johnston as the director of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, due to his work and tone on THE ROCKETEER, as well as his special effects work on the Original Star Wars Trilogy. However, the most important step after finding a director was when Johnston hired screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to write a script. As many Marvel fans already know, Markus and McFeely have been the guys who dramatically shaped the Marvel Cinematic Universe into what it is today as they have written CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, THOR: THE DARK WORLD, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, and AVENGERS 4. Bringing these writers onboard was as important of a hire as Marvel Studios hiring Jon Favreau and casting Robert Downey, Jr. for the original IRON MAN film.
Speaking of casting, finding the perfect actor to be Steve Rogers / Captain America was the next task. Several names emerged including Ryan Phillippe, John Krasinski, Sebastian Stan, and Chris Evans for the title role. Evans got the role and immediately there were plenty of jokes and online memes of how he was previously Johnny Storm in Fox's FANTASTIC FOUR movie, in 2005. Stan was so likable in his audition Johnston could not pass up the chance to cast him in a different role as Steve Rogers' best friend Bucky Barnes... and at the time Stan had no idea how much bigger his role would become in just a few years.
Once Marvel Studios revealed the first trailer for CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, doubters of Evans' ability to shake off his previous role as Johnny Storm were put to rest as he perfectly fit the mold of what was needed to be as a live action Captain America.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER released in U.S. theaters on July 22, 2011 to the tune of a $65 million opening weekend. Not close to the big numbers both IRON MAN and IRON MAN 2 produced, yet it was an exact opening number to the $65 million THOR took in just a few weeks earlier. And remember, both Thor and Cap were new characters being brought to the forefront of mainstream audiences for the first time on the big screen — unless you read comic books of course — so while the opening numbers were low compared to today's 9-digit opening figures, it was still a great first step by Marvel Studios to continue building their ever-expanding cinematic universe.
The film took in $370 million in the worldwide box office, but this did not deter the studio from moving ahead toward their big ensemble film, THE AVENGERS, as well as green lighting a Captain America sequel. In fact, the ending of this film perfectly sets up THE AVENGERS as Cap was found frozen in time in the Arctic and brought back to life into modern day society.
Now, THE AVENGERS was coming in less than a year and while hardcore Marvel fans were thrilled for it, the majority of mainstream audiences had no clue at what was about to be unleashed in theaters in less than a year after seeing CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.
Previous Road to Infinity War Posts:
Road to Infinity War - THOR Retrospective
Road to Infinity War - IRON MAN 2 Retrospective
Road to Infinity War - THE INCREDIBLE HULK Retrospective
Road to Infinity War - IRON MAN Retrospective
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