One of the most anticipated blockbuster films opening this summer, Captain America: The First Avenger, is opening this Friday. As part of the Marvel Universe film series, the World War II superhero is already set to appear in next summer’s The Avengers and a Captain America sequel is already being written. That puts a lot of weight on the shoulders of the actor behind the mask, Chris Evans.
Evans is no stranger to superheroes — he already has appeared in the two Fantastic Four films as the Human Torch — yet an interview Evans did with the Associated Press (from Yahoo Movies) reveals that though Evans has previous experience in wearing superhero tights, he’s a bit nervous about the film’s performance and how he is perceived as such an iconic character.
About the role, Evans says, “It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s terrifying, nerve-racking and intimidating. There’s a swirl of negative emotions that arise. On the flip side, it’s great. You have to maintain a healthy amount of respect. You have to understand this is where I want to be. It could be so much worse. My life has unfolded in a fortuitous fashion.”
According to Evans, he felt uncomfortable in the Captain America costume from the moment he put it on but it didn’t last, explaining, “The first time I put the costume on, I was still apprehensive. Then it just hits you. You’re in it. You’re in it now. Halfway through filming, it felt nice and comfortable. It’s the source of the character. When you put the costume on, you can’t help but feel heroic.”
Nonetheless, Evans isn’t worried about if he gets bad reviews for playing the patriotic superhero even though he has a multi-film deal and is currently filming The Avengers, a Marvel Comics team-up movie. “We overanalyze the past and we worry about the future. We don’t spend enough time in the moment. I think doing that in this world, even if you have a six-picture deal with Marvel, you can get stuck in a pretty negative place. It’s daunting, so you just say to yourself, `You know what? All I have to do is deal with today.'” I guess that can be loosely translated into “Yeah, it’s all good,” but it doesn’t make as good of a soundbite, does it?
Captain America: The First Avenger opens in theaters on Friday, July 22.
