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Captain America from Doctor Who?

JohnBarrowman-CaptainJack.jpgCould the next Captain America come from Glasgow, Scotland? No I'm not talking about Gerard Butler! I mean a star of stage and the small screen, of Doctor Who, or rather Torchwood to be more specific.

John Barrowman, born in Glasgow, Scotland, is in the running to play Captain America and is actively in meetings to discuss the role.

John Barrowman has been a big star of the stage for some time, and carries a pretty mean set of vocal chords on him too, but recently he's been more known for his television appearances on first Doctor Who, and then Torchwood as leading character Captain Jack Harkness.

What's great about the character is that he's portrayed as being bisexual, or continually hinted at at least, and the actor himself is very open about his own sexuality.

However that may just prove to be one barrier to the American flag wearing role, and there are others.

First of all I'm really not sure in the current world political climate that a Captain America film would do well with audiences outside of the U.S., oh it might fly in the U.K., but elsewhere? One chance is if they do cast a non-American, but birth anyway.

Barrowman was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but he moved to the U.S. when he was eight, so he could bridge a divide there, but I don't really know how well the film will fly elsewhere in the world, do you?

Then there is the fact that he was born in Scotland that might play against him, wouldn't America want their Captain America to be born and bred there?

Still, Barrowman is in the running, and I think he could he do it. He spoke at Comic-Con recently and OK! Magazine picked up his comments, which sound much more positive than when I heard the rumour before.

“I would love to play Captain America...He's one of my favourite comic book characters and there's nothing better in the world than playing a hero. I'm doing meetings. Watch this space.”

That does sound positive, if he's having meetings then he must at least be being considered. However there are a lot of others in the running, and some of them born and bred American, but does that really make a difference?

Would you be happy with a Scottish born and American bred Captain America, and what of the rest of the world, could they stomach a Captain America right now?




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Comments

From what I hear, the planned Captain America movie would feed into the Avengers movie. As a result, it would mostly take place in world war 2. It could work, and there'd be a minimum of flag waving.
It looks like they're basing their Avengers on the Ultimates (as Sam Jackson is Nick Fury) so even in present day, Cap is a man out of his own time, and as such light on flag waving again.
So in terms of a Cap movie doing well, it could work.
But Barrowman? No, no, no, no, no.
I love him to bits. He's great as Captain Jack, and entertainingly camp on other shows. But he's totally wrong for anything other than Captain America: The musical.

I would be absolutely 100% percent fine with John. Honestly, I am worried about who they'll cast as Cap and I'm betting I won't be happy with the final decision. John does over the top with out looking like a ham or an idiot, and when has Cap been anything other than overly dramatic?

And yes, as a born and bred American, I would be fine with a bisexual Brit playing an American hero. I'm more concerned if he is the right actor for this role, rather than his heritage and sexuality.

Well that's good news so far, I really did wonder if people would accept him for the role for those very reasons.

Great point Dan, we have only seen him play those type of musical roles where the drama and emotions are heightened - that's exactly how Torchwood and some of Doctor Who play out.

I'm sure he could play it much more real and dramatic though, I think we've just never seen that.

I'll definitely watch Captain America with John Barrowman in it, besides, he'll be great in almost anything! The man's a chameleon!

wouldn't matter if the rest of the world could or couldn't stomache the Cap. it would be an american movie for americans and the rest of the world could stuff it.

Captain America being from abroad fits just fine, seeing as how all us Americans are, in fact, foreigners if you go back far enough. I'm just worried he wouldn't play a "straight" cap. and yes, captain america is supposed to be heterosexual.

i'm not saying he can't. i love the Harkness. but Captain America has to be a few things, and erotically appealing is definitely not one of them.

I'll tell you what. With all the anti american crap i get now that i live abroad, i'd die to see a Cap movie.

Thing about Cap is that he's got to have presence, and one that rivals the likes of Roberty Downey Jr. if an Avengers film is on the cards.

Paul Walker would've been a fair name to add in but I don't think he could stand up against RDJ and Ed Norton (if the Hulk does wind up as a member). Brad Pitt maybe?

Mogulus I know what you mean about the American film for Americans, but would the studio see it that way? Would they want to exploit it as much as possible for worldwide sales?

I actually think that it could work abroad, if it's done just right.

Well Mace the other name being banded around is Matthew McConaughey. What do you think of that?

Ya know Richard, I've thought about it more since I left the comment and now I'm even more sure of Pitt. He can do stranger in a different world (e.g. Meet Joe Black/ Interview with the Vampire but if ya blend that with Achilles of Troy - well you've got a perfect combo...

PS - All that sounded a lot clearer in my head.

Well I could see Brad Pitt doing it, he has an all-American image.

There was that rumour that he was in the deleted scene in The Incredible Hulk as Captain America that we'll catch on DVD, distant rumour though.

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