Captain America: The First Avenger

Amid the patriotic pomp and circumstance of the 2011 Superbowl, Marvel Studios unveiled the trailer for their latest blockbusting superheroic outing: Captain America: The First Avenger. Helmed by Joe Johnston, whose directing credit on The Rocketeer (1991) shows that he might just know what to do with this franchise, and starring Chris Evans, rolling the dice as another lycra-clad Marvel icon, Captain America is pitching for summer success with a July 22 release date. Unfortunately for Marvel, this will place it in direct competition with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, and Cowboys and Aliens, released one week on either side. With the market for high-octane, otherworldly special effects so crowded, Cap will have to keep his shield and his wits about him, or it won’t only be the Red Skull giving him a kicking this summer.