Tuesday
28Apr2009
Damn It: McConaughey Open to 'Captain America'
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 3:10AM
Part of the reason I don't want to see Matthew McConaughey playing Magnum,
P.I. is because it sounds exactly like the sort of decision a studio would make for the role. That,
apparently, won't happen. But it's the same logic I have for resisting McConaughey as Captain
America: You just know his name has come up at some level.
Reader Comments (10)
Weren't you all but pimping Will Smith for the role of Captain America not that long ago? Now based on your logic of McConaughey "probably being too old" then certainly the same applies to Smith who's a year older. Was Sahara really supposed to be a franchise? Really? I just don't see how but then that's probably why it didn't turn out that way. Much in the same way that Smith's Wild, Wild, West could have been franchise material but that never happened either.
Remarkable how easy it can be to dismiss someone over a thing like age and a bad movie, isn't it? I could care less who plays Cap and I highly doubt such a film would out perform either of the Hulk movies that have come out. Just in terms of popularity, when Superman died in the comics not long ago it made a significant impact in both comic books sold and media attention. When Captain America was gunned down more recently there was barely a blip of notice in the media and no mad rush to grab up the comic. Yet even with Superman's seemingly popular status the response to Superman Returns was less than lukewarm. In Captain America you're starting out with a lesser fanbase to begin with and chances are any film about him would be just as underwhelming in tickets sold.
So what if McConaughey gets the role, perhaps he can redeem or reinvent himself. If not Marvel and co. could go the old Batman route and just have a new Cap for just about every sequel afterward. I hear Val Kilmer's itching to get in shape again and what's Wesley Snipes up to these days?
Here are a few things to consider: If Will Smith were Captain America, which was a rumor floating around for a couple weeks, the entire construction of the character changes. If he's 40 matters less once producers jump the fence and make him black. Marvel doesn't want to do that. Like DC's Green Hornet, they want a guy in his mid- to late-20s because of the WWII angle. However, find me a bigger movie star who can play believable action. Why wouldn't you want Will Smith for any blockbuster?
Secondly, yes, McConaughey did want Sahara to be a franchise. He said as much at the junket. There's an entire series of Dirk Pitt books and he was asked point blank if he thought about this being his opportunity for a franchise. I was surprised he admitted it, but there you go. Paramount spent tons of money on that movie; McConaughey went around the country in a motor home promoting it. They wanted to launch a series but it didn't take off.
Thirdly, remember what Marvel is doing here. Captain America isn't a standalone character; they're all leading to Avengers. I think this will do much better than Thor, but I don't think it's going to be a phenomenal success on the level of Iron Man. Of course, nobody really thought that about Iron Man, either.
Ryan Gosling or Chris Pine need to be a superhero.
One can take Green Lantern and the other can take Captain America.
Sound good?
They've both been mentioned for Green Lantern, and Gosling has already passed on it three or four times.
"However, find me a bigger movie star who can play believable action. Why wouldn't you want Will Smith for any blockbuster?"
I guess I'm all Big Willie styled out at this point. His unofficial claim to ownership of the July 4th weekend aside ... Smith is money in the bank and a proven performer but that doesn't necessarily make him the go to guy for whatever comes down the chute. If it comes down to what highest profile star can be gotten then it's less about the character/story and more about the star which often lends to failure with movies. There's other talent out there but then who knows perhaps with the economy as it is Marvel may want to go safe as possible and only bet on high profile actors. At the same time this is the Marvel that had Sam Jackson pitching a fit and low-balled Mickey Rourke too, can they even afford Will Smith?
I'd go for Chris Pine but the dude's got his franchise, as does Ryan Reynolds, another good choice. Channing Tatum is bad but fortunately hes also got a franchise in GI Joes.
I never liked Josh Hartnett until lucky number slevin and now think he could pull off a green lantern as for Capt America how about Ryan McPartlin... not a big name but how many big names can they get if they expect to pull of an Avengers movie?
Re: Will Smith - I'm just playing studio's advocate there. But since none of the names for Captain America thrill me the way Downey did when he was announced for Iron Man, when the rumor came up, it made a certain amount of sense, hypothetically.
Hartnett's my pick for Green Lantern. He passed on Superman a few years ago, but now he's rumored for the villain in Thor, which seems completely wasteful to me. He'd be absolutely perfect for Green Lantern, but maybe he doesn't want a franchise.
The Avengers truthfully worries me. I just think it's a bad idea. Too many cooks spoil the brew and whatnot.
All this talk of Cap... who will be Ant-Man? Where's the rumors for Wasp? I think an Avengers film can be done but assuming Marvel doesn't do origin movies for each member (and they might well try) it means sticking origins into the film. If that will be the case then it's a question of how much origin gets told before the bigger work of moving the Avengers goes forward. I'd plan Avengers as a franchise to take the pressure off of cramming everything into a single film. Too many characters in a film can get unwieldy and prove unsatisfying, Spider-Man 3 anyone?
With Avengers I'd say don't overdo it just get a solid story that's driven and build enough excitement and anticipation in the first film to make people yearn for a second, third, fourth. Get the story told like it's so often done in the comic books as a story arc. Yes it gets on the expensive side and sequels tend to not fair as well as the initial film but if done right there could be an exceptional payoff. Or they could just pile it all on in one film throw it at the wall and see what sticks. If it works great if it fails no more Avengers to worry about I guess. It just seems like a planned multi-film approach would work better than a big balls to the wall blowout that would likely be a one off and it's done.
For an Avengers Capt. America how about Mark Valley?
Bradley Cooper seems like a star on the rise and could be a good Capt. America. Other good actors I'd like to see, maybe if NPH is not going to be the Flash (Adam Brody being tossed around) he could be a good Ant-Man. In fact cast the whole Dr. Horrible crew in something, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern or Capt America. Felicia Day as Wasp. (Kristen Stewart? or too young?)
Personally I'd be more interested in a JLA movie than an Avengers flick anyways...
Brandon Routh (Sup), Christian Bale (Bat), NPH (Flash), Josh Hartnett (GL), Rosario Dawson (WW), Bradley Cooper (Aquaman) and Vin Diesel (MartianMan).
They're not going to do the JLA movie with existing DC actors, but I like the Bradley Cooper call.