Who? Couch that for a second, let’s go back to the casting choices rumored for Marvel’s “The First Avenger: Captain America” which were leaked yesterday.
Most fanboys and even semi-interested parties either shrugged, groaned or went, “huh?” went it came to the relatively unknown, untested names being thrown around as the final contenders. They basically break down into two groups. John Krasinski of NBC’s “The Office” sitcom and everyone else — the lesser-known pretty boys: Chace Crawford, Garrett Hedlund (“Tron Legacy”), Mike Vogel (“Cloverfield”), Scott Porter (“Friday Night Lights”), Patrick Flueger (“The 4400”) and Michael Cassidy (“Smallville”). Why these choices? Because Marvel’s on a tight budget for “Captain America” and they’re basically going to lowball their actors and pay them a near scale wage for at least picture one so they can spend the rest of their money on authentic locations (Europe), sets and presumably some special effects.
Why is Krasinski being touted for this role at all? He’s the one the choice that made everyone go, “him?,” but because he’s the oldest looking of the bunch and can act (though seems untested in drama so far) he does make some sense. The age factor is important. One day Captain American has to be the leader of The Avengers alongside people like Robert Downey Jr. He has to be his peer, his equal. Not some snot-nosed kid who RDJ could probably collapse with one furtive glance or patterned stare. Plus Krasinski is extremely tall which could give him the presence needed if he could bulk up in time (though the character is supposed to be lanky, weak, etc. which means Krasinski could fit the bill). But will anyone buy that?
Why are the rest of these young, pretty boys being considered at all? Because they are young, handsome (bring in that “Twilight” girl crowd if you hire someone dreamy enough) and most importantly they’re all cheap. But any of them side-by-side with Robert Downey Jr. or even giving him orders? The thought seems laughable. Sure Chris Hemsworth —who was cast as “Thor” — is essentially unknown, but he’s big, looks the part and it’s easy to see why he could play an imposing character like the Asgardian hero. “Captain America” might be supposedly a weakling at first, but shouldn’t Marvel thinking end-game, as the great American Marvel hero, who pretty much looks like the apotheosis of a big, brawny, muscular NFL quarterback in his prime? None of those kids fit the bill. Also, they’re essentially stuck in teen kid roles. Will they actually feel and look like an adult?
So we offer Marvel a solution. Someone who is not a boy (he’s 35), someone who is attractive, can look, play and act intense, can actually act and will probably be in the film that wins the Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards: Brian Geraghty of “The Hurt Locker.” Geraghty has the look and has the chops and he holds his own in that film alongside the Oscar-nominated Jeremy Renner, and the celebrated Anthony Mackie (who is one hell of an actor). Geraghty has also earned the respect of his peers and is actually good friends with people like Renner and Sam Rockwell — they admire his work and know that he has that something that’s just waiting to be tapped by Hollywood. Lastly, Geraghty isn’t expensive and he’d likely see the role as a great opportunity.
See, we’re looking at it like, if you hire Geraghty, you get a relatively serious film which (like “The Hurt Locker”), can be entertaining as well. It would be a win-win for everyone. But since Marvel already made the bone-headed move of hiring hack Joe Johnston (“The Wolfman” which was just raked over the coals by any respectable critic and dreck like “Jurassic Park III”), we’re probably going to see something more akin to “Daredevil,” “Ghost Rider, “Fantastic Four” or one of the many major Marvel flubs from the aughts during the era when only a few directors could properly nail a comic book film. Mark our words, if Johnston and Marvel don’t hire right, “The First Avenger: Captain America” will be Marvel’s first major misstep on the road to “The Avengers” film and will trip up the series. They survived the minor misstep that was “Louis Leterrier’s “The Incredible Hulk” (mostly because of Ed Norton) but can they afford another? Choose wisely, or face the wrath of fans and the box-office.
Update: This is amusing. Movieline actually asked Geraghty in a recent interview if he saw this piece or at least was aware that we were campaigning for him. Naturally, he hadn’t read it and wasn’t aware, but said that one of his friends tested for the part. Not that having little knowledge of a super hero character precludes you from taking the part, but it definitely sounds like Hollywood isn’t listening to us. Shocker.