Well, here we are. The sci-fi tentpole “Star Trek” reboot from director J.J. Abrams has been in theaters for only a few days, and it is well on it’s way to obliterating the box office receipts of the previous ten Trek films. Critics adore it, fans approve of it, and audiences are flocking to it.
Poor “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” started strong last weekend, but had a steep dropoff of nearly 70% in the second weekend. While it is a decent popcorn actioner, the story lacks the heart, depth, and broad appeal that Star Trek apparently has, so look for the space exploration adventure to hold a bit steadier than “Wolverine” for its second week.
Not much Jon Hamm or “Captain America” news this last week, but I wonder if the critical smash “Star Trek” remake could have used a little more charm from somewhere….
Comingsoon.net dispensed some details about the Marvel properties getting the Hollywood treatment through 2012 after listening to Marvel’s quarterly earnings call this week. Kenneth Branagh’s “Thor” starts filming in Q1 2010, and Joe Johnston’s “The First Avenger: Captain America” will start filming in summer 2010. Cast confirmations will be coming sooner for “Thor” than for “Captain America,” it seems. So figure that Steve Rogers will have a prominent role in “The Avengers,” what with him being the leader of the team, and all that. And whoever stars in “Captain America” will probably jump right into “The Avengers.”
The Tiny Cast of Mad Men
This may not play so well for our guy, Jon Hamm, depending on how his “Mad Men” schedule works out. Season three of the series about 60s-era Madison Avenue advertising execs just started filming a week ago, and it will premiere on AMC in August. If a fourth season is a go and films on the same timetable, it is possible that Jon Hamm would not be able to film Mad Men in the spring, then leap into Captain America, then film The Avengers, and then back to a possible fifth season of the show.
Anything is possible, of course, but it is something to keep in mind. The good thing is that we still won’t have casting news of Captain America easily until Autumn of this year. Let’s just keep spreading the word and being positive. Don’t forget, Jon Hamm Should Play Captain America!
Welcome to “Jon Hamm Versus,” where we will take a look at possible contenders for the lead role of Steve Rogers/Captain America in the upcoming film “The First Avenger: Captain America,” slated for release on July 22, 2011. Next up, we look at the powerhouse blockbuster-making man-of-the-year Hollywood VIP movie star Mr. July, Will Smith.
Will Smith’s name has easily been tossed around for the role of Captain America/Steve Rogers since about 1996. And it’s pretty safe to say just about every Hollywood studio has put the Fresh Prince’s name at the top of their casting list for nearly every greenlit script since then. It’s just like when you’re a kid and you put “President of the United States” at the top of your fantasy list of jobs you would like to hold. And like the problems most studios face, odds are if you don’t have enough cash you’re not going to get the top job.
The benefit to Will Smith is that he has the A-List clout to do basically any movie he wants at any time. If you look at his IMDB page, there isn’t one completed project in there that you haven’t heard of. Meanwhile Samuel L. Jackson has six times the credits and his Q rating is probably has a two-digit percentage disadvantage to Smith’s.
So could Will Smith make Captain America? Sure, if he wanted to. But as past evidence shows us, it’s basically a heavily passed around rumor. He’s already had modest success as Hancock, which should also have a sequel in the next few years. Plus, Smith likely doesn’t want to get tied down to a specific character in a franchise. Would the “true fans” accept a black Steve Rogers? I think so. There would be some unrest until the movie actually came out, like how goofballs complained that the heroes in the first X-Men movie weren’t going to wear their ‘traditional’ costumes. But then the movie came out and the change worked and no one gave a crap that Wolverine didn’t go around killing dudes while adorned in a yellow Spandex costume. Comic book purists (read: white folks) would accept Will Smith eventually, but I will concede that he’s likely the only black man they could see in the role. Sorry, Omar Epps.
Anyway. Like Brad Pitt, Will Smith commands top dollars and does not put him as the favorable candidate in this battle. Meantime, Jon Hamm merely has a Golden Globe and a SAG award, and still only nets about 3 millions viewers a week for “Mad Men.” The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” easily had 20 million viewers a week for five seasons. Like Brad Pitt, Will Smith is the height of his career and has many years of success still to come. Jon Hamm is on an upward trajectory, already with drama and comedy under his belt. Hollywood action star is the only thing missing from his résumé.
Well gang, an important moment in our short history together has now occurred. Jon Hamm has received an official endorsement to play Captain America by none other than Debbie Schlussel. Most folks already know who I’m talking about, but for the rest of you, here is a little info. Debbie Schlussel is the popular conservative political commentator and pop culturist. She is a force to be reckoned with on the radio airwaves and in her columns. A highly educated public figure with a law degree and an expertise in radical Islam, among a long list of other qualifications and accomplishments, she understands the importance of getting Captain America/Steve Rogers just right for the big screen.
She wins big points for being the largest public figure to date to back Jon Hamm as Captain America in a recent blog post. She lays waste to the other “contenders” with an acidic but succinct tongue, calling people like McConaughey (McConaugheyyyyy!!!!!!) “too goofy and unheroic,” Paul Walker “too surfer-boyish and brainless to play a hero,” and Jon Cena “too wrestler-ish and not polished.” And she says Jon Hamm is “my personal choice–suave, debonaire, confident, has that polished superhero look and a snarky sense of humor. This “Mad Man” could definitely be Captain America.”
So this is it! With Debbie Schlussel getting things rolling, it won’t be long until this snowballs into an indomitable force that cannot be ignored. Studio executives and Hollywood fatcats will not be able to turn a blind eye to the brilliant casting suggestion. Jon Hamm Should Play Captain America, and soon the whole world will know it. Get on the train before it is out of reach!!
I mentioned it before, but this is a reminder to people of all ages to go take advantage of Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Most of the thousands of specialty comic shops around the world will be participating, so there may be an opportunity to grab a free book in your own backyard. If you’ve never read a comic before or if it has been years since that last time, there will be oodles of interesting things to enjoy. Not all comics are Batman and Spider-Man, so be sure to check out some of the other offerings from the smaller and independent publishers and artists. Many specialty stores have tons of undersold old comics, too, so you could literally get hundreds of pages of colorful art and story for a few bucks. Be sure to browse around and check out those discount bins!
Find out more about Free Comic Book Day here, including what books are being offered, a locator for participating stores, and info about the medium of comics, among other cool things.
If you happen to be in the Scranton, PA area, I recommend checking out Comics On The Green for all your comic needs.
No word if Jon Hamm will be taking advantage of Free Comic Book Day, but next time I see him, I’ll ask him about it.
Well, I can’t say that I’m surprised. With eco-awareness decidedly “In” and celebrity roasts of Ruth Buzzi “Out,” it makes sense that America’s Actor, AKA Jon Hamm, would attend the celebration of the National Resources Defense Council’s 20th anniversary this week. The fest included some of the most powerful and influential eco-celebs around, including Ed Begley Jr., Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Steven Bochco. And Jon Hamm, with longtime girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt, shared their secrets about how they conserve energy to help save the planet.
Jon Hamm Enjoying Nature
From the news report at Mother Nature Network: “There are a lot of options to take in your life and not be wasteful and selfish. If you put other people and the environment first instead of yourself, it’s a lot easier to make those decisions that decrease your impact on the environment.” Toward that end, Hamm and his girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt watch their consumption. “We don’t use a lot of air-conditioning. We open windows. We have a relatively small air-conditioning bill, and we’re trying to get it smaller every day. The fact that we’re in California and there have been a lot of initiatives put forth to do that is great. We’re trying to take advantage of that as much as we can.”
If Jon Hamm isn’t channeling Steve Rogers here, then I don’t know what’s going on. Every person can do their part to put other people first, ahead of their own self-interest? What type of person says something that? Oh yeah, I forgot… every superhero in the universe! Somebody please get him in a meeting with Avi Arad! Cast him in “The First Avenger: Captain America” before he takes an indie gig to maintain his actor’s cred.
We all know he is not the first celebrity to back environmental issues, but when push comes to shove, it will be interesting to see where he comes down on laws concerning Green regulations.
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Jon Hamm Should Play Captain America 