While Marvel Studios still has yet to announce their final choice for Captain America, they have revealed their choice to play the film’s villain. HeatVision reports that Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, Lord of the Rings) is in final talks to play the villainous Red Skull in The First Avenger: Captain America.
In the comic books, Red Skull is Johann Shmidt, appointed by Adolf Hitler as the “head of Nazi terrorist activities with an additional large role in external espionage and sabotage.”
According to Marvel.com:
Quote:
“Hitler gave Schmidt an unique uniform with a grotesque red skull mask, and he emerged as the Red Skull. His role was the embodiment of Nazi intimidation, while Hitler could remain the popular leader of Germany. … He was spectacularly successful, wreaking havoc throughout Europe in the early stages of World War II. The propaganda effect was so great that the United States government decided to counter it by creating their own equivalent using the recipient of the lost Project Rebirth, Steve Rogers, Captain America. The two counterparts soon clashed in what would be a series of engagements throughout the war, ending with a final battle that left the Skull buried under the rubble of a bombed building. Because he was immediately exposed to an experimental gas there, he remained in suspended animation for decades. Johann was eventually rescued in modern times by the terrorist organization, HYDRA. The Skull quickly subverted a cell to his own ambitions of world conquest and the death of Captain America.
The Red Skull was a genius at military, political, and subversive strategy. His brilliance was comparable to that of Napoleon. The Red Skull was a fine hand-to-hand combatant, although he was never a match for Captain America. The Red Skull was also a skilled marksman with various forms of handguns.
The Red Skull’s most infamous weapon was his so-called “dust of death.” The chemical composition of this powder is unknown, but it kills a victim within seconds of making contact with the victim’s skin, causing the skin on the victim’s head to tighten, shrivel, and take on a red discoloration, while causing all the hair on the victim’s head to fall out. As a result, the victim’s corpse appears to have a “red skull” for a head. While committing murders with this weapon, the Skull often hummed, whistled, or played a tape recording of Chopin’s funeral march, which was also the Skull’s trademark music when he committed murders in the early 1940’s. The Skull could fire his “dust of death” from a special handgun.“
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Weaving’s reportedly just about to sign the contract, while negotiations are at a critical stage.
His involvement definitely gives fans hope that the folks at Marvel will make the right choice when it comes to casting America. Weaving is a perfect fit for the Red Skull, boasting both the physical wiles and mental agility required to play such a conniving, malicious villain.
Expect news of America’s casting soon also.