The SECRET HISTORY of the CAP MUSICAL Revealed!
By now, we’re sure every Marvel Blog True Believer has taken the time to comb through the new trailer for Hawkeye, arriving on Disney+ on November 24th, 2021. Musical fans take note because the newest trailer features even more footage of the Captain America-themed musical, Rogers: The Musical.
But this is more than just a throwaway gag in the trailer for the next Disney+ Marvel Cinematic Universe streaming series: it’s a reference to a real-life musical that almost happened!
Rogers: The Musical. Photo: DenofGeek.com
Rogers: The Musical
As reported by Jenna Anderson at comicbook.com, a musical version of Captain America almost came to the Broadway stage in the 1980s. The Broadway musical even had a Tony Stark sized budget of up to $4 million (today, that’s around $10 million adjusted for inflation). So it seems like Marvel was betting on the show being a success, at least at first.
Cap’s Broadway musical would have followed the hero as he overcame the challenges of a new setting… for him. Instead of fighting his usual foes, Captain America would be battling his mid-life crisis. “Fortunately, the action speeds up – his girlfriend [Sharon Phillips], a candidate for President, is captured by terrorists and held hostage at the Lincoln Memorial,” said New York Times’ Enid Nemy on April 5th, 1985.
For 1985’s Captain America musical, written by Mel Mandel and Norman Sachs, Marvel even ran a casting call for the production in the pages of their comics. The printed advert stated that Marvel was searching for a girl ages 10 to 14 who could “sing, dance, and act up and storm,” and who wanted to be Cap’s sidekick! Sounds like they wanted a singing Bucky, Marvel Blog True Believers!
Photo: GamesRadar+
Over at Games Radar, Chris Arrant investigated the history of the Cap musical even further. Arrant’s article revealed that this production went further than you might expect, Marvel Blog True Believers! A full book was written, including music and lyrics, and several performances even took place!
In the story, Cap’s antagonist was a Cosmetics Company CEO who was secretly funding a terrorist cell… some things never change.
Actor John Cullum in costume as superhero Captain America in a publicity shot for the aborted Broadway musical “Captain America.” Photo: Games Radar via Marvel
However, when Ronald Perelman took over Marvel Comics in 1989, he cancelled the musical as a way to save money for the struggling publisher (but I guess some things do change, Marvel Blog True Believers).
Hawkeye on Disney+
However, you’ll finally get a glimpse of Rogers: The Musical when Hawkeye premieres on Disney+ on November 24th, 2021.
Rogers: The Musical. Photo: Disney+
What do you think of this cancelled Captain America musical, Marvel Blog True Believers? We want to hear from you! Let us know what you’re thinking in the comment section.
Watch the Hawkeye trailer below:
