Age of Ultron The Steve Rogers/Captain America Thread - Part 1

[ernesth100]

With every new image I see of each character Ican't help but be shocked out how well Marvel casted the Aveners and played up to this event. Especially Evans as Cap.

 

[Farren]

With every new image I see of each character Ican't help but be shocked out how well Marvel casted the Aveners and played up to this event. Especially Evans as Cap.

Marvel's casting department can't be beat. They don't just snatch up any A-lister they can (although I'll admit some of their casting has been on the "safe" side): they seem to really want to find the best actors for the parts. They trust in their source material.

 

[TalismanRing]

Mostly though it's not the casting dept for lead or sizable roles, except maybe the early cattle call like auditions. Feige and the directors usually have an idea about who they want and of course the buck stops with Feige.

Favreu fought hard for RDJ - who wanted the part so much he auditioned for a movie for the first time since Chaplin.

Branagh brought in Hiddleston from doing theater with him.

When they did up the list for Cap and were going through months of call backs, readings and audition from the non name to to the named Feige was watching Sunshine and asked why Evans wasn't on the list even if he'd already been Johnny Storm. The he watched the very little seen indie The Loss Of A Teardrop Diamond to see if Evans could do a believable period piece role and then he went after Evans hard.

 

[TheVision]

Chris' take on Cap is just perfect to me. He really hit it just right.

 

[Farren]

Mostly though it's not the casting dept for lead or sizable roles, except maybe the early cattle call like auditions. Feige and the directors usually have an idea about who they want and of course the buck stops with Feige.

Favreu fought hard for RDJ - who wanted the part so much he auditioned for a movie for the first time since Chaplin.

Branagh brought in Hiddleston from doing theater with him.

When they did up the list for Cap and were going through months of call backs, readings and audition from the non name to to the named Feige was watching Sunshine and asked why Evans wasn't on the list even if he'd already been Johnny Storm. The he watched the very little seen indie The Loss Of A Teardrop Diamond to see if Evans could do a believable period piece role and then he went after Evans hard.

Yeah I was oversimplifying it. You said it better.

I didn't know about Feige and Sunshine, but it doesn't surprise me: Chris was really good in that one. And he managed to be likable even while being a bit of an antagonist towards the most leading character (IMO anyway), which says something about the type of presence he brings to the screen.

 

[Xhexania]

Mostly though it's not the casting dept for lead or sizable roles, except maybe the early cattle call like auditions. Feige and the directors usually have an idea about who they want and of course the buck stops with Feige.

Favreu fought hard for RDJ - who wanted the part so much he auditioned for a movie for the first time since Chaplin.

Branagh brought in Hiddleston from doing theater with him.

When they did up the list for Cap and were going through months of call backs, readings and audition from the non name to to the named Feige was watching Sunshine and asked why Evans wasn't on the list even if he'd already been Johnny Storm. The he watched the very little seen indie The Loss Of A Teardrop Diamond to see if Evans could do a believable period piece role and then he went after Evans hard.

Feige also had small participation on what Marvel/Fox were doing, Bryan Singer confirmed Feige was around back then with X-man & FF, but he didn´t had much saying then. Feige knew Evans from the FF, liked him from back then, but watching Sunshine and the other film convinced him that Evans could play Steve Rogers.
Marvel had great actors, but RDJ as IM, Hemsworth as Thor, Evans as Cap as Hiddlston as Loki, they have been best casting choices and at a time that Marvel wasn´t that big yet and these guys weren´t "safe choices" for the parts.

 

[ernesth100]

Marvel's casting department can't be beat. They don't just snatch up any A-lister they can (although I'll admit some of their casting has been on the "safe" side): they seem to really want to find the best actors for the parts. They trust in their source material.

Completely agreed.

 

[warhorse78]

Mostly though it's not the casting dept for lead or sizable roles, except maybe the early cattle call like auditions. Feige and the directors usually have an idea about who they want and of course the buck stops with Feige.

Favreu fought hard for RDJ - who wanted the part so much he auditioned for a movie for the first time since Chaplin.

Branagh brought in Hiddleston from doing theater with him.

When they did up the list for Cap and were going through months of call backs, readings and audition from the non name to to the named Feige was watching Sunshine and asked why Evans wasn't on the list even if he'd already been Johnny Storm. The he watched the very little seen indie The Loss Of A Teardrop Diamond to see if Evans could do a believable period piece role and then he went after Evans hard.

I always heard it was because Stan Lee wanted Evans.

 

[TalismanRing]

I always heard it was because Stan Lee wanted Evans.

I know Stan was highly complimentary of him as the Human Torch but I've heard nothing about wanting him as Cap and in terms of casting or the MCU I don't think Stan Lee has any great input, if any.

 

[Raiden]

Marvel's casting department can't be beat. They don't just snatch up any A-lister they can (although I'll admit some of their casting has been on the "safe" side): they seem to really want to find the best actors for the parts. They trust in their source material.

I'm not sure I agree that Marvel has been casting on the safe side on any of them. RDJ was quite toxic to Hollywood due to his past, and Favearu fought hard to get him cast as Tony Stark. Chris Hemsworth was an unknown. Chris Evans was famous as Human Torch on two abysmal F4 movies, that's about it. Even Raffalo was a controversial choice because Marvel dropped Edward Norton for him. I guess ScarJo and Renner were the safest choices, but they were playing relatively minor roles.

 

[Suzanne78]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Edgar Wright also vouched for Evans during the Cap casting, b/c they had either just finished filming or were filming SCOTT PILGRIM together. And Wright and Chris are pretty damn tight.

*hoping EW casts Chris in another movie again…*

And then there was the infamous story about RDJ calling Chris Evans up while he was deliberating taking over Steve Rogers and dealing with a multipicture contract. And… *sigh* perfection was thus created.

A huge part of me cringes whenever Chris brings up in interviews the negatives about his Marvel contract and no longer wanting to act in these movies and wanting to retire and direct, b/c it does leave him open to a lot of criticism from movie people/bloggers/etc. But he's also gone on record with his social anxiety, talking to a therapist, and such, and I think a lot of that plays into his what he says, and how it seems to change from one interview to another.

He's just so damn good at playing Steve Rogers, and I really hope he realizes that he's got the skills and talent. He just needs to pick better projects

 

[Raiden]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Edgar Wright also vouched for Evans during the Cap casting, b/c they had either just finished filming or were filming SCOTT PILGRIM together. And Wright and Chris are pretty damn tight.

*hoping EW casts Chris in another movie again…*

And then there was the infamous story about RDJ calling Chris Evans up while he was deliberating taking over Steve Rogers and dealing with a multipicture contract. And… *sigh* perfection was thus created.

A huge part of me cringes whenever Chris brings up in interviews the negatives about his Marvel contract and no longer wanting to act in these movies and wanting to retire and direct, b/c it does leave him open to a lot of criticism from movie people/bloggers/etc. But he's also gone on record with his social anxiety, talking to a therapist, and such, and I think a lot of that plays into his what he says, and how it seems to change from one interview to another.

He's just so damn good at playing Steve Rogers, and I really hope he realizes that he's got the skills and talent. He just needs to pick better projects

Between TWS, AOU, and the upcoming CW, I'd say Evans has been picking extremely good projects lately.

 

[Suzanne78]

Between TWS, AOU, and the upcoming CW, I'd say Evans has been picking extremely good projects lately.

I should've clarified outside of Marvel, LOL!

SNOWPIERCER was the bomb diggity, though!

 

[Xhexania]

I should've clarified outside of Marvel, LOL!

SNOWPIERCER was the bomb diggity, though!

Also Sunshine was a great movie and it was directed by Dany Boyle, it didn´t work in the box office but that happens to a lot of movies and then he has done other smaller projects, but also worked with people like David Ayer in street king that movie is full of great actors, didn´t do great at the box office, and he is known to do a great acting job in all the small indies he is in (Puncture/ The Iceman), of course he has done some popcorn stuff like the FF (which were bad, but a lot of people said he was the one they rescued from that stuff) and the Losers and Push weren´t good at the end but by it´s cast, it is obvious they all went in thinking it would had been better projects.

Being Cap helped him become more famous, but at the same time it is what he didn´t wanted, he said he didn´t want that aspect of losing his anonymity and having paps and people talking, some actors just want to work and can´t deal with the other aspect and sadly for him, now he is deep into that exposure he didn´t wanted before.

I love him playing Cap and I hope he never stops playing that character for as long as these movies are around, but I can imagine being in Marvel is like being a TV actor, specially for him, once they did the first Cap movie, he only had one year off the character, which he did Snowpiercer (which took in pre and main production as long as a Marvel film) and then he could only fit a small film in between before he had to go work in Cap2, his directing debut had to be rushed in the times for pre and post production because he fit it between Cap2 and AoU and now he is back again about to play Cap.

I mean, it will be interesting to see what he does after Cap3, but I wouldn´t be surprised if he tries to stay away a little, to download on the exposure, any other actor in his position would probably take all opportunities with the studio and play the game, become a huge star, he doesn´t seem to deal well with that game play, so IDK, but obviously he has good enough rep in HW to have people wanting to work with him, which is probably why people in Marvel did their job to convince him to play Cap.

uf this went too long, sorry!!

 

[Suzanne78]

Also Sunshine was a great movie and it was directed by Dany Boyle, it didn´t work in the box office but that happens to a lot of movies and then he has done other smaller projects, but also worked with people like David Ayer in street king that movie is full of great actors, didn´t do great at the box office, and he is known to do a great acting job in all the small indies he is in (Puncture/ The Iceman), of course he has done some popcorn stuff like the FF (which were bad, but a lot of people said he was the one they rescued from that stuff) and the Losers and Push weren´t good at the end but by it´s cast, it is obvious they all went in thinking it would had been better projects.

Being Cap helped him become more famous, but at the same time it is what he didn´t wanted, he said he didn´t want that aspect of losing his anonymity and having paps and people talking, some actors just want to work and can´t deal with the other aspect and sadly for him, now he is deep into that exposure he didn´t wanted before.

I love him playing Cap and I hope he never stops playing that character for as long as these movies are around, but I can imagine being in Marvel is like being a TV actor, specially for him, once they did the first Cap movie, he only had one year off the character, which he did Snowpiercer (which took in pre and main production as long as a Marvel film) and then he could only fit a small film in between before he had to go work in Cap2, his directing debut had to be rushed in the times for pre and post production because he fit it between Cap2 and AoU and now he is back again about to play Cap.

I mean, it will be interesting to see what he does after Cap3, but I wouldn´t be surprised if he tries to stay away a little, to download on the exposure, any other actor in his position would probably take all opportunities with the studio and play the game, become a huge star, he doesn´t seem to deal well with that game play, so IDK, but obviously he has good enough rep in HW to have people wanting to work with him, which is probably why people in Marvel did their job to convince him to play Cap.

uf this went too long, sorry!!

Oh, don't get me wrong... I love most of his non-Marvel catalogue, like SCOTT PILGRIM/SUNSHINE/STREET KINGS/PUNCTURE/THE ICEMAN/SNOWPIERCER... Heck, he was, hands down, the best part of THE LOSERS.

I'm mostly just hoping he's smarter about choosing the next project he directs, and doesn't try to ape another acclaimed director, and I really hope he stays away from problematic dreck like PLAYING IT COOL. I don't care if he never does another blockbuster after he's done with Marvel movies csad: ) but I just want him to be better with choosing scripts to act in/direct.

 

[TalismanRing]

Playing It Cool was was high up on the Blacklist for scripts and attracted a lot of talent in front of the camera. I'm sure there were higher expectations for it, it sounds like they didn't get the right director or it didn't come to together they way they wanted. Far from unusual in this business. It's also probably one of the films that makes him want to direct so he can be in control.

It was also made in 2012, the last time he had a full year off between Marvel movies and filmed in the same year he did Snowpiercer and The Iceman and I wouldn't be surprised if he took it as a change of pace from Apocalyptic oppression and cannibalism and a serial killer land just as he did those movies as a change of pace from Steve Rogers.

In truth he's had very little time off to make any other movies unless he wants to work wall to wall like he had to do make Before We Go [when he was time pressed into choosing among scripts and having the time to film it if he wanted to squeeze something between Marvel movies]. The months he took off after AOU (and even that had charity events, awards shows and endorsement work and then training for Cap 3) is the most time he's had off since he stared playing Cap in 2010 (and in 2010 even Cap was his 3rd film that year after Puncture and What's Your Number)

By the end of 2015 he'd have played Cap in five blockbusters, not including his cameo in 6 years. In addition to the filming he has to train, eat and sleep the right way for months to get in shape and that doesn't even include gymnastics classes, motorcycle classes and fight training.

As for wanting to make other films or wanting to direct, it's nothing Mark Ruffalo and RDJ haven't said in interviews. Ruffalo has said if he had his preference he'd just direct because he likes the control and film is a director's medium but he can't make a living directing like he can as an actor.

RDJ as much as he loves Iron Man wants time to make other smaller movies (some which he'll produce and develop - so control). Which is why he's on board taking roles in ensemble films like Avengers or supporting in Civil War so he can work 2-3 months a year on Marvel and not 6 months as a lead because once you add in the training and the promotional duties it's almost a year round job to be the lead in just one Marvel movie.

I think if Marvel has a hope of extending Chris' contract it will be like RDJ's in terms of size of roles and time he has to spend making the movies.

 

[Suzanne78]

Playing It Cool was was high up on the Blacklist for scripts and attracted a lot of talent in front of the camera. I'm sure there were higher expectations for it, it sounds like they didn't get the right director or it didn't come to together they way they wanted. Far from unusual in this business. It's also probably one of the films that makes him want to direct so he can be in control.

It was also made in 2012, the last time he had a full year off between Marvel movies and filmed in the same year he did Snowpiercer and The Iceman and I wouldn't be surprised if he took it as a change of pace from Apocalyptic oppression and cannibalism and a serial killer land just as he did those movies as a change of pace from Steve Rogers.

In truth he's had very little time off to make any other movies unless he wants to work wall to wall like he had to do make Before We Go [when he was time pressed into choosing among scripts and having the time to film it if he wanted to squeeze something between Marvel movies]. The months he took off after AOU (and even that had charity events, awards shows and endorsement work and then training for Cap 3) is the most time he's had off since he stared playing Cap in 2010 (and in 2010 even Cap was his 3rd film that year after Puncture and What's Your Number)

By the end of 2015 he'd have played Cap in five blockbusters, not including his cameo in 6 years. In addition to the filming he has to train, eat and sleep the right way for months to get in shape and that doesn't even include gymnastics classes, motorcycle classes and fight training.

As for wanting to make other films or wanting to direct, it's nothing Mark Ruffalo and RDJ haven't said in interviews. Ruffalo has said if he had his preference he'd just direct because he likes the control and film is a director's medium but he can't make a living directing like he can as an actor.

RDJ as much as he loves Iron Man wants time to make other smaller movies (some which he'll produce and develop - so control). Which is why he's on board taking roles in ensemble films like Avengers or supporting in Civil War so he can work 2-3 months a year on Marvel and not 6 months as a lead because once you add in the training and the promotional duties it's almost a year round job to be the lead in just one Marvel movie.

I think if Marvel has a hope of extending Chris' contract it will be like RDJ's in terms of size of roles and time he has to spend making the movies.

Oooh… I didn't realize PIC was on the Blacklist? Ugh, which makes it's failure a real waste.

I just fear for the dude's post-Marvel script-picking skills, LOL! I am hoping he gets another chance to direct, but I think it'd be likelier to happen if, like you say, he's able to stay on as Cap in a more limited capacity (two to three months of filming/backing off of physical training vs. his schedule now). I feel like he needs his name to stay in the spotlight somewhat to continue building cache to direct/produce the products he really wants to act in.

He has been doing a lot though during his spare time. I am just ready to see what his next movies are going to be post-CW.

 

[TalismanRing]

Evans auditioned for Milk, Gone Baby Gone and the Wolf Of Wall Street. He made Sunshine & Snowpiercer. Just because he doesn't get all the roles he wants doesn't mean he doesn't know how to recognize a good script. It's all about opportunity. The thing is now that he's at a stronger point in his career to land those films he doesn't 1) have time 2) want to if he's serious about directing.

 

[Xhexania]

Oooh… I didn't realize PIC was on the Blacklist? Ugh, which makes it's failure a real waste.

I just fear for the dude's post-Marvel script-picking skills, LOL! I am hoping he gets another chance to direct, but I think it'd be likelier to happen if, like you say, he's able to stay on as Cap in a more limited capacity (two to three months of filming/backing off of physical training vs. his schedule now). I feel like he needs his name to stay in the spotlight somewhat to continue building cache to direct/produce the products he really wants to act in.

He has been doing a lot though during his spare time. I am just ready to see what his next movies are going to be post-CW.

I get you!!! I hated PIC, but I´m a woman, I mean...I know guys who saw it and find it hilarious and got the idea of it.
But yeah, I hope that because now he is in a better position in HW, Chris can do the movies he wants. It´s just hard with his schedule now, that is why I wonder what will happen after he is done filming Cap3.

 

[Suzanne78]

Ehhhh…. I have my ????s about his career post-Marvel. Aside from SNOWPIERCER and the Marvel movies, even if he auditions for the parts in decent movies, he doesn't seem to get them, for whatever reason. I remember him talking about his audition for GBG on Fallon or another talk show. It almost sounded like he had a panic attack just before.

But whatever happens, I hope he can continue on with a lighter schedule with Marvel, but do his own thing and keep working with acclaimed directors, even if he flies under the radar for his smaller roles. I have my fears that he's going to fade out after Marvel…

Unless that is actually what he wants. So.

 

[Joesh]

Yeah he said he was really nervous meeting with Ben Affleck. He was awkward or something.

 

[TalismanRing]

Ehhhh…. I have my ????s about his career post-Marvel. Aside from SNOWPIERCER and the Marvel movies, even if he auditions for the parts in decent movies, he doesn't seem to get them, for whatever reason. I remember him talking about his audition for GBG on Fallon or another talk show. It almost sounded like he had a panic attack just before.

But whatever happens, I hope he can continue on with a lighter schedule with Marvel, but do his own thing and keep working with acclaimed directors, even if he flies under the radar for his smaller roles. I have my fears that he's going to fade out after Marvel…

Unless that is actually what he wants. So.

He's said in interviews that his auditioning has become consistently better over the years but then he's also at a level in his career where he probably doesn't have to audition for many roles. He didn't for Snowpiercer or Cap. At this point he has enough variety on film for most directors to look at and he has a name.

For Gone Baby Gone he told jokes about his nervousness but I don't recall reading where the actual audition was bad. Either way the role went to the director's brother, so did it really matter?

For Milk he said the director told him he wanted him for but Franco was then a bigger name and the producers wanted him. He didn't get the role in Wolf but then Bradley Cooper went after the same role and didn't get it either. Though in what reality are Chris and Cooper up for the same role and losing it to Jonah Hill? Maybe in the one where DeCaprio wants to be the hottest actor on set.

It's not as if Evans wasn't consistently working as an actor before Marvel. He's been a working actor for over 15 years. The only reason I can see why he wouldn't be working in quality projects as an actor post Marvel is because he didn't want to.

 

[Xhexania]

this is not spoilers, but these actors are like kids!! It´s so funny that Evans and Scarlett are like the same kids they were seen goofing around in TBS vids of "the perfect score" which they did when they were so young.

 

[TalismanRing]

They are adorable together and have the same playful relationship in interviews they have in all these BTS videos over the years. They have known each other their entire adult lives and still act like kids together.

 

[warhorse78]

I should've clarified outside of Marvel, LOL!

SNOWPIERCER was the bomb diggity, though!

It was! That movie deserved better treatement than what Weisntein gave it. This isn't the first time Chris Evans was in a movie I was excited about, but it never really got big play. The other is Puncture, which was also a very good movie.

And while on the subject of Chris Evans movies, I wonder why no one ever brings up Cellular? It would have to be the first movie I remember watching him in, and it's still one of my favorites to this day.