Joe Johnston has been hired to direct Marvel's upcoming feature film 'First Avenger: Captain America', according to this morning's Hollywood Reporter.
Johnston came up from visual effects work on the original 'Star Wars' trilogy and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' to become a helmer on such films as 'Jumanji', 'The Rocketeer' and the upcoming feature 'The Wolfman'. It's a background that Marvel Chief Kevin Feige, who is producing the film, says makes him uniquely qualified for the job.
"This is a guy who designed the vehicles for 'Star Wars,' who storyboarded the convoy action sequence for 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' " Feige said to The Reporter. "From 'Rocketeer' to 'October Sky' to 'The Wolfman,' you can look at pieces of his movies and see how they lead to this one."
According to the report, the deal has been brewing for some two years now. The film currently lacks a screenplay and a screenwriter, but a hire there is expected soon.
Marvel provides this logline for the film: "In the early days of the Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America."
A modern-era Cap will emerge in the 'Avengers' movie.
Marvel has set an aggressive schedule for its upcoming slate of movies and 'Captain America' is set for a May 6, 2011 release. Keeping to that schedule is important as it all leads up to 'The Avengers' later that year.
Louis D'Esposito, Stan Lee and Marvel Studios' chairman David Maisel and executive producers on the film.
Thanks to Antonello Blueberry for the submission.
What do you think? Is Joe Johnston fit to be Commander in Chief Marvel's Star-Spangled Hero? Post your comments below...
Excellent choice! I've always like The Rocketeer, too. Although he has never demonstrated a certain flair that makes you say , "That's a Joe Johnston film!", he has the skills to do this right. If this has been going on for a couple of years, I'm sure he already has definite ideas on his apporoach.
Marvel's getting some solid directors for its films. I wonder who they're looking at for Dr. Strange.
supposedly guillermo del toro (sp?) is in talks to direct Dr. Strange
Marvel knows whath they are doing and they prove that with every new announcement..in my opinion. They are making solid choices. If DC truly ever wants to be successful with their movies, they will have to follow this formula.I am nothing but excited for this movie. Cap is in my top 5 of fav super heroes, just a great symbol of this country and a cool hero!
Agree, agree, agree, Guillermo DelToro is too busy for anything but The Hobbits and then has pet projects for another 5 years, and agree.
WOW Marvel just seems to be making all the right decisions. I love this choice. Big Cap fan. Loved Rocketeer and Jumanji and Honey I Srunk the Kids and Hidalgo and even Jurassic 3.
That's an excellent move for Captain America...I enjoyed The Rocketeer very much, and thought that it did have a "patriotic" feel to it. Come to think of it, all of the movies that he's done kind of have that feel to it. You're going to need that since this is Captain America.
Hanso, I agree with you, I think that DC is doing excellent by it's own rights, but there needs to be more consistency with their catalouge? They have stories and heroes that are iconic in their own rights, even though they may be B list heroes, those stories can be told with a certain edge to give them their respect in their own rights?
Still you have to celebrate the time-table that Marvel has set up for itself to get these movies made to be able to deliver whet we hope to be an excellent Avengers movie. I watched Iron Man and The Hulk yesterday, and this is excellent news.
Good choice. Good director who has been involved with some really good films. October Sky was an excellent film.
Marvel appears to be doing a fine job carrying out their master plan. I don't think DC has done a poor job, but Marvel just seems to be getting their act together in a way that DC is not. Nolan's Batman is helping to re-define the limits of comic book movies, but it is a world of it's own. It does not seem to fit well into an overall 'universe of superheroes'--not that it's a bad thing--it's just different. I don't see the DC properties coming together in a way that Marvel appears to be pulling off. DC just doesn't seem to be able to break out and do something other than Superman and Batman. I know Green Lantern is coming, and that will be a breath of fresh air for DC, and it may turn out to be their Iron Man.
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Nice. Marvel has been doing a great job on choosing directors to helm their films. I've like all his movies besides 'Jurassic Park III" (which I just didn't like the story but he did a good job filming it though). Can't wait to see what he did with 'The Wolfman' next year and I've always liked 'The Rocketeer' watching it as a child and as a good family film. I got to agree with Fiege on that you can pick out certain pieces of his film and they lead to some good news as far as the path Captain America will go down.