Marvel Studios has decided to rename their upcoming “Captain America” film in some foreign markets, the Los Angeles Times reports. In Russia, Ukraine, and South Korea, the iconic American comic book hero’s new movie will be known as just “The First Avenger.”
Although Marvel and partner Paramount Pictures insisted that the move had nothing to do with politics and was just a reflection of certain business realities in the foreign markets, this would not be the first time the production has landed in hot water with conservatives. Joe Johnston, the director of the upcoming “Captain America: The First Avenger,” faced criticism last July after telling an interviewer that he was planning to make the superhero’s patriotism less explicit.
“He wants to serve his country, but he’s not this sort of jingoistic American flag-waver,” Johnston told the Los Angeles Times. “He’s just a good person. We make a point of that in the script: Don’t change who you are once you go from [Captain America’s alter-ego] Steve Rogers to this super-soldier; you have to stay who you are inside, that’s really what’s important more than your strength and everything. It’ll be interesting and fun to put a different spin on the character and one that the fans are really going to appreciate … the idea that this is not about America so much as it is about the spirit of doing the right thing.”
“It’s an international cast and an international story,” the director continued. “It’s about what makes America great and what make the rest of the world great too.”
Conservative commentator Allahpundit hates the idea of a new, politically correct Captain America. “The movie’s set during World War II, so obviously we don’t want any jingoistic demonizing of the enemy happening,” he wrote in an article for Hot Air after Johnston’s interview. “Question: If you want to make a superhero movie but you don’t want to be troubled with the hair-raising spectacle of out-and-proud patriotism, why the hell would you choose Captain America? Choose Aquaman instead and have him deliver the requisite lecture about fearing ‘The Other.’”
The film, starring Chris Evans as Captain America, is due to be released this summer.