We’ve been following director Joe Johnston’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER pretty closely. I’ll admit, I’m a huge Captain America fan anyway, so seeing this movie come to life after all these years… well, it’s pretty cool if ya ask me. One thing that’s been kept under wraps pretty well is what Hugo Weaving will look like as The Red Skull. We got a brief glimpse in the Super Bowl commercial, which you can see here, but still nothing crystal clear to drool over. That changed today thanks to an article as Entertainment Weekly, which features a nice shot of Red Skull and a new interview with Johnston. For those not in the know, in the movie Weaving plays Johann Schmidt, who becomes The Red Skull, Cap’s most deadly nemesis. Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers, who becomes Captain America. Johnston had some interesting things to say to EW. Here’s a few snippets from the interview:
What I like is he’s not a superhero in the true sense of the word. He becomes a superhero but doesn’t have any super powers. He is just the best possible, human specimen. Imagine the fastest, strongest Olympian athlete. Add 30 percent. That’s Steve Rogers.
At one point he (Steve Rogers) says, “I don’t like bullies, I don’t care where they’re from.” He makes a complete physical transformation to a perfect human specimen. But inside he doesn’t change at all. It must be tempting to go back and say “I’m going to get that guy who beat me up in high school.” He does get revenge in the film, but on the Nazis — not on people who maybe picked on him. Before he gets the injection, the doctor tells him: “Whatever happens, stay who you are.”
And for those wondering how this ties into Joss Whedon’s present day movie adaptation of THE AVENGERS…
Because this was a period film, because this was the origin story, I didn’t have to worry about the Avengers which was a present day story. We have present-day bookends and bring Cap back at the end and then I basically hand him off. And The Avengers is its own thing.
I’ve always liked Joe Johnston as a director. THE ROCKETEER is one of my favorite comic book movies, and I even liked JURASSIC PARK III… though I realize I’m in the minority on that one. Regardless, I have a lot of faith in the man, and believe he’ll do the character justice. And this new Red Skull shot? Awesome, if ya ask me! How about y’all? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
