Forgive us for looking ahead. That’s what we do in the movie-news business, particularly when it comes to Marvel and their massive movies. While the studio preps Iron Man 3 for release, we’re eagerly jumping to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which recently began shooting. Entertainment Weekly (via ComicBookMovie) has quotes from Marvel President Kevin Feige on the design of The Winter Soldier, as well as concept art of what the new/old villain will look like in the standalone Cap sequel (seen above).
Feige spoke about Captain America’s need to remain with S.H.I.E.L.D. at the end of The Avengers, saying:
"Cap does stay with S.H.I.E.L.D. because he has nowhere else to go. But he's not necessarily comfortable there. As you might imagine, somebody who’s spent 70 years in ice, frozen, wakes up and has to fight a bunch of aliens with a bunch of weirdos -- he is trying to figure out what his life is. And just as he's given permission to let go of the past and to focus on the modern world, a ghost comes up.With the Greatest Generation in World World II, there's a tendency to reflect on that period and say, 'Things were black and white back then, and now it's hard to know who the bad guys are.' We wanted to play on that a little with Cap being uncomfortable with the way S.H.I.E.L.D., and in particular Nick Fury, operates. Fury certainly rides a line, sort of rides the shadows. He has, I think, lied to every character in every movie, though always for seemingly for the good."
You might be wondering why Winter Soldier is holding Cap’s shield in the concept art. We’re wondering that, as well. If you didn’t know, the Winter Soldier is Cap’s old partner, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who allegedly died in The First Avenger but, apparently survived. The imagery in the concept art calls to mind components from the comics when Bucky assumed the identity of Captain America in a storyline too convoluted to spell out here … and one that likely will not be resurrected for The Winter Solider.
Outside of that, I do like Bucky’s look in the art. The Winter Solider always sported longer hair, and the goggles-and-mask combination gives him a menacing glare. The gun looks like a sniper rifle, which plays into the character’s comic roots as a trained assassin working for the Russians. All in all, the image is great.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier continues Marvel’s Phase Two, which begins with Iron Man 3 this weekend. It sounds like Steve Rogers, much like Tony Stark, will have some psychological baggage after the events of The Avengers … and he’ll also have a few physical threats to contend with as well.
