Stanley Tucci Joins 'Captain America' Film

Star of stage and screen Stanley Tucci has officially been cast in THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA. Tucci, who recently directed the current Broadway revival of Lend Me A Tenor, will play Dr. Abraham Erksine, the scientist responsible for creating the superhero in the original comics.

Tucci joins a cast including the previously announced Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, and Hayley Atwell. The film, based on the Marvel comic book superhero, will be directed by Joe Johnston.

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige will produce THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA. Alan Fine, Stan Lee, David Maisel, Stratton Leopold and Louis D'Esposito will executive produce. The film will be released in the US on July 22, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America.

Though plot details for the film have yet to be released, in the comic book series, Bucky's fate is to become a brainwashed assassin for the Russians (under the alias Winter Soldier), and ultimately goes onto succeEd Rogers as Captain America.

Stanley Tucci is an Emmy Award and Golden Globe winning actor who has appeared in over 50 films. In 2009, Stanley was seen in Julie & Julia, opposite Meryl Streep. He received Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for his performance in The Lovely Bones, which was released this month. Stanley also starred in Blind Date which he co-wrote and directed. As an actor, he is a stage veteran and made his Broadway debut in The Queen and the Rebels opposite Colleen Dewhurst and went on to star in The Misanthrope, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Iceman Cometh, and in his Tony Award- nominated turn in Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune. His film directing credits include Big Night, The Impostors and Joe Gould's Secret. Mr. Tucci made his Broadway directorial debut with Lend Me a Tenor.

Chris Evans will play Steve Rogers/Captain America, Sebastian Stan will play his sidekick Bucky Barnes, and Hayley Atwell will play Captain America's love interest.

Atwell's stage credits include the title role in MAJOR BARBARA, THE MAN OF MODE, and A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE. The actress's film and television credits include "Brideshead Revisited," "The Duchess," "The Prisoner," and the upcoming 8 part mini-series, "The Pillars of the Earth."

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.