One of the key elements in Marvel Studios’ success has been hiring talented directors who are capable of putting their own unique stamp on each film. For the upcoming “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Marvel brought on a pair of directors, the Emmy Award®–winning brothers Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.
“In our meetings with the Russo brothers, I had a hunch that they had it in them to really elevate one of our properties,” says producer Kevin Feige. “They loved the idea that we were presenting to them—the ’70s political thriller, the much more contemporary, much more grounded Super Hero story this time around and they have embraced it and improved it and delivered what I think is the best pure action film we’ve ever made.”
Executive producers and directors of the critically acclaimed, award-winning television shows “Arrested Development” and “Community,” the Russo Brothers were thrilled to immerse themselves in the Marvel Universe. “It was a pretty cool moment for two reasons,” recalls Anthony Russo. “The first being we had always been very excited and inspired by Marvel’s choices in the past and the second being we were on the directors list without campaigning or making an effort to actually get on it. It really showed us that creatively Marvel is open to giving opportunities that can be a little left of center.”
While the story of Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is set in present day, the tone of the script and story are throwbacks to a good retro thriller. “We wanted the film to have a vérité style that makes you feel like you’re with Captain America,” says Anthony Russo. “We wanted the story and style to feel very intimate and grounded, which is so critical to the ’70s political thrillers that inspired this film.”
“The first movie in a franchise is about establishing the heroes and the second movie is about putting the heroes against the ropes,” adds director Joe Russo. “This film is a much grittier story than any Marvel movie to date and we really wanted to try something different. We felt like it was our job to add something to the Marvel universe that they can then use as a tool going forward in Phase 2.”
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which continues the big screen adventures of Steve Rogers aka Captain America, picks up after the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, and finds Steve Rogers living quietly in Washington, D.C., and trying to adjust to the modern world.
But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue and mystery that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off assailants sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable new enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” returns Chris Evans as the iconic Super Hero character Steve Rogers/Captain America along with Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow, Emily VanCamp as Agent 13, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, with Academy Award® winner Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, a senior leader within the S.H.I.E.L.D organization, and Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” opens in the Philippines on March 26, 2014, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
In addition to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including “Guardians of the Galaxy” on August 1, 2014; “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015; and “Ant-Man” on July 17, 2015.