On July 22, 2011, moviegoers saluted Chris Evans as Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” from director Joe Johnston, who directed “The Rocketeer” back in 1991.
Though he was “a laboratory experiment” as the world’s first super-soldier, what Steve Rogers special was simple: he’s a kid from Brooklyn who don’t like bullies, no matter where they come from. But before suiting up as Cap, Evans was on fire – but not as hot at the time – as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in two previous so-so-not-so-memorable “Fantastic Four” movies. It was Captain America that made Chris Evans into “America’s New Hope”: the red-white-blue shield who led the fight against Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) and the terrorist organization known as HYDRA. Aiding Cap in this war: his best friend James ‘Bucky’ Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and the Howling Commandos; Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Cap’s best girl, and Howard Stark, whose son Tony (Robert Downey, Jr.) will change the world one day as the armored Avenger Iron Man.
Released after “Thor” starring Chris Hemsworth as the demi-god of thunder, “Captain America: The First Avenger” was followed by the assembly of Marvel’s “The Avengers” in the summer of 2012: becoming “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” against Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in the battle of New York.
Since 1941, Captain America has been the ambassador for patriotism, liberty, duty, and justice: the greatest soldier in history, a good man who’s willing to pay the high price to defend the freedom of others, a superhero for the little guy.
Now, after 75 years, he’s about to become a real-life living legend thanks to Marvel (www.marvel.com). On Wednesday, a 13-foot bronze statue of Captain America was unveiled at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. It will be followed by a special trip to Brooklyn, New York (home of Captain America himself) for a limited engagement at Prospect Park on August 10 – including an evening showing of “Captain America: Civil War.” The statue will then be seen at several locations over the course of next year.
Released in May, “Captain America: Civil War” passed the $400 million mark in the U.S. with Evans leading Team Cap against RDJ and Team Iron Man, as the Avengers went from united to divided over superheroes registering with the government: a law in which Rogers is against, making Stark believed that Steve Rogers, the guy with the perfect teeth, the guy who doesn’t have a dark side, isn’t the guy his father Howard never shut up about. To matters worse: Steve’s long-lost presumed dead friend Bucky, who was brainwashed by HYDRA and reprogrammed as the Winter Soldier, is wanted for a series of crimes that includes the murder of the father of T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), the world’s first black superhero.
“Captain America: Civil War” not only grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, but the film helped the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) reached the worldwide mark of $10 billion dollars.
If you’re still a fan of Disney’s “The Rocketeer,” then you’ll still Team Cap for Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” and “Captain America: Civil War.”