Though he is one of Marvel Comics’ most iconic characters, Captain America is not the easiest concept to bring to cinematic life.
But that is exactly what 2006’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” did. After a leading turn in the blockbuster 2012 film “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Captain America (Chris Evans) is ready to be brought, punching and kicking, into the modern world.
That is what “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” promises. Full of espionage and explosive battles, “The Winter Soldier” is a faster, deadlier and more meaningful outing for the star-spangled hero.
Nate Moore serves as coproducer on the film, and started work in development for Columbia Pictures, Participant Media and Exclusive Media. Among the films he’s produced are “Fast Food Nation” and “Let Me In.” Today, he serves as vice president of production and development for Marvel Studios.
In an exclusive e-mail interview, Moore talks about the powerful thrill of working on this darker, more dynamic “Captain America” sequel.
What is the biggest difference between the first “Captain America” movie and the sequel, “The Winter Soldier”?
The tone. While the first film is, in a lot of respects, a love letter to Saturday matinee films like “Indiana Jones” or “The Mummy,” action adventure films with a wholesome, presentational quality, this film is very much inspired by the paranoid thrillers of the ’70s, including films like “Three Days of the Condor” and “The Manchurian Candidate.” We wanted to move Captain America from a world of good versus evil into one where he’s forced to negotiate varying shades of gray, which we think enables him to feel more defined as a character because his morality feels distinct from both his allies and his enemies. Tone plays a huge role in making that possible.
Chris Evans and Samuel L. Jackson return for this second “Captain America” movie, with Scarlett Johansson coming in from “The Avengers.” What was it like getting this group back together?
It was a lot of fun to have Chris, Scarlett, Sam and Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill from “Marvel’s The Avengers”) all back together again. They all get along extremely well, and it made shooting that much more fun for them and for the Russo brothers. When you add in big fun personalities like Anthony Mackie (The Falcon), Frank Grillo (Brock Rumlow) and Emily VanCamp (Agent 13) in the mix, it made for a very lively set.
Robert Redford does a great, intriguing turn in this film as Alexander Pierce. Why cast him, and what was it like having him in the film?
First of all, we felt incredibly fortunate that an actor of the caliber of Robert Redford was interested in being a part of a Marvel movie. As soon as we met with him, we knew that there was no other choice who could bring the same gravitas and likability to Alexander Pierce and make that character strong enough to be believable as Nick Fury’s mentor. He was a pleasure to have on set, always prepared and always game to try new things and support his fellow actors. And the result is a character that holds his own in scenes with Nick Fury, Captain America and the Black Widow, no easy feat.
As a producer, what was the biggest challenge working on the film?
I consider myself lucky to be part of a film like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” It’s always a challenge to mount a production of this size, and to try and tell a story of this scope and magnitude. Logistically, it required working in three states, a multitude of locations, and with a massive cast of actors and a sizable crew. However, we were fortunate to have a top-notch crew that managed to make possible on screen what felt incredibly daunting on the page. And our postproduction crew, including our VFX and editorial teams, did a fantastic job of taking all of the footage that we shot and helping the Russo brothers shape it into a film that we’re all incredibly proud of. So, while producing the film was challenging and at times exhausting, it was also an experience that I’ll cherish forever.
What was the best thing about working as a producer on this film?
Getting to help bring these characters that I grew up with to life. You can imagine how exciting it is to be on the streets of Cleveland watching Captain America fight the Winter Soldier under the tutelage of our amazing stunt team. It’s fun to play with these larger-than-life characters and big ideas, and hopefully to deliver a film for which audiences will flip over.
Distributed by Disney, Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is now showing in theaters.