Soooo what's the plot of the upcoming Captain America movie?

Director Johnson talks Cap:

“We’re in prep,” Johnston says. “Rick Heinrichs is production-designing and we’re set up down in Manhattan Beach [California]. It’s the part of the process that I love the most,” he enthuses. “We have eight or ten really talented artists, and we all just sit around all day and draw pictures and say, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if we could do this?’ It’s that phase of the production where money doesn’t matter: ‘Let’s put all the greatest stuff up on the wall and [then later] see what we can afford.’” The film, he says at this early stage, will begin “in 1942, 1943″ during World War II. “The stuff in the ’60s and ’70s [comic books] we’re sort of avoiding. We’re going back to the ’40s, and then forward to what they’re doing with Captain America now.”

Classic Red Skull Comic Clips & Captain America Images

If you are diehard cap fan you will recognize some of these iconic Cap comic book clips!

Avengers Assemble: Cap & The Avengers + Iconic Cap Moments

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Captain America Wallpaper Set 1

Director of First Avenger - Johnston to Direct Captain America

Having directed rampaging dinosaurs in Jurassic Park III and a snarling Benicio Del Toro in the upcoming remake of The Wolfman, Joe Johnston has signed on to bring one of Marvel’s most popular comic-book heroes to the big screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he has signed on to direct First Avenger: Captain America for Marvel Studios. The pic is being prepped for a May 6, 2011 release.

A wartime creation of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, Captain America first appeared in 1941. The character is the product of a super-soldier program that turns scrawny, sickly Steve Rogers into a Nazi-fighting war machine who wields an indestructible shield. A symbol for the war effort, the hero was later resurrected as part of Marvel’s Avengers.

Staying true to its comic origins, First Avenger will be set during World War II. The character will then be brought into modern times for the upcoming Avengers movie, which Marvel hopes to launch in 2011. Marvel is taking pitches from writers and is looking for an actor to play the title role. The movie is being produced by Marvel's Kevin Feige, and exec produced by Louis D'Esposito, Stan Lee and Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel.

Two members of the Avengers team, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, have already been introduced on the big screen, and Thor is on the way. Kenneth Branagh is in talks to direct Thor for a 2010 release. Director Jon Favreau and actor Robert Downey Jr. are also re-teaming for to Iron Man sequels.

Captain America's Shield in Iron Man? Hoax?

You might have thought that all Marvel buzz was over as of last week with the announcement of their upcoming line-up - but guess again. I have confirmed myself, along with our comic book expert Roman Chavez, in person that Captain America's shield is actually in Iron Man. Yes, you heard me right, and if you need to go out and see it again this weekend I suggest you do. We'll provide the information on when and where it shows up below if you care to go find it, but we're pretty damn sure this is it. As for what this means for the Marvel universe and future movies - who knows? I thought Captain America wasn't around at this time and I thought he got his shield from S.H.I.E.L.D.?

The scene in which you can see the shield is after Iron Man returns from Afghanistan after fighting with the Mark III red/gold armor for the very first time. Right after he fights the two F-22 fighter jets, it shows him back in his lab trying to remove his armor but having trouble. Right as Pepper Potts walks down into his lab and asks him "what is he doing?", the shield can be seen sitting on one of his tables behind him in the lower left corner. This happens around 1 hour and 30 minutes into the movie. Make sure to account for trailers if you're going in. We confirmed it at a 6:40PM showing and the scene played at around ~8:18PM. Here is a very low quality photo just for reference. It looks much better in the movie.

The shield is actually red, white, and blue, although you can't see the red in the photo. But if you see the scene in the theater, the shield is actually there and very identifiable. It looks like it is half-constructed and being built by Tony Stark, but you can definitely see the unique star. It is a round shield with circular red, white, and blue stripes. What does this mean?

Apparently Captain America was actually given his round shield from the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization when he was found in modern times, which could make sense in this universe. Maybe Tony Stark has been building a shield, for whatever reasons, and eventually S.H.I.E.L.D., who was revealed at the end of the movie, will find out about it at a future point and suggest they give it to Captain America for his use. And this means maybe it will involve some sort of awesome Tony Stark technology instead of just being a metal object he throws around. How about that for a concept?

There are so many considerations and ideas for discussion surrounding this reveal, that almost anything right now is valid. The common reaction seems to be "that is very interesting" with much speculation thereafter. Why is Tony Stark building a shield when, as far as we know, Captain America hasn't been introduced and isn't around? Is Samuel Jackson's appearance at the end and mention of other superheroes in this universe a hint that Captain America is already around? What do you make of this?!

UPDATE: Just a few days ago, Marvel's President of Production Kevin Feige confirmed in person that it is Captain America's shield. You can read the details in this article here. Also confirmed by Feige is that the solo Captain America movie will take place in WWII, which follows the origin story from the comics closely. Feige does seem to confirm that this is only an easter egg and won't necessarily be a part of any future sequels or the Marvel universe. The Avengers is also in the works for a summer 2001 release.

Captain America shield in Iron Man the Movie

WHEN CAPTAIN AMERICA THROWS HIS MIGHTY SHIELD...

ITEM! Yes, it’s true, Tiger. That is Captain America’s shield sitting on Tony Stark’s lab bench in that boffo box-office bonanza, Iron Man. Frantic Ones everywhere have discovered one of Jonny Favreau’s earnest easter eggs serendipitously slipped into the scenery (see pic above). An easter egg that was digitally painted out of the trailers and previews, I might add. Read the whole story here and here.

Fan speculation and Intraweb chatter is running at fever pitch. What does it mean? It’s not really that hard to figure out, pilgrims. Card-carrying Marvelites will remember that Tony Stark actually did make a high-tech shield for Cap all the way back in Avengers #6 (June 1964 — Studious Stan). If you haven’t read these or other Avenging classics, then shame on you, sunshine! You can either turn in your MMMS membership card or go straight to your local comic book shop and get your copious copy of Essential Avengers Vol. 1, Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 1, or even the out-of-print but still-to-be-had GIT Corp 40 Years of the Avengers DVD-ROM collection! These titanic tomes may not be as intellectually stimulating as the Complete Works of Shakespeare, but they're a heckuva lot easier to tote around!

Even though your Uncle Stanley hasn’t seen a Captain America movie script yet, it’s pretty obvious where this is going. The Cap movie will no doubt cover his WWII days to introduce both Cap and the Red Skull’s origins, then zip forward to the present day with Cap being thawed-out and outfitted with a Stark-tech shield so he can go he can kick Nazi sleeper agent gluteus maximus and even go Avenging — just like in the comics! Say it with me, Merry Marvel Marchers... “just like in the comics!” Ah, that magic phrase that guarantees both high-fidelity sound and concept, and as often as not, high box office returns. Now that Mighty Marvel is running these mega movie franchises, expect that to be the rule rather than the exception! You read it here first, pussycat. ‘Nuff Said!