Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 film, the first of a cycle of three movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe featuring Captain America.

Set in the 1940s, the film tells the origin story of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a young man of frail physique but iron heart and courage. He becomes a top candidate in a research program lead by Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) to create a physically superior human soldier. The experiment works but Erskine is killed by a Hydra agent, taking the key aspects of his research with him to the grave. While the military turns Rorgers into Captain America, a propaganda symbol, they can't keep him for serving in the war. Cap rescues his childhood friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and takes the battle to Hydra's own super solider: The Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).

The movie also features Haley Atwell as Peggy Carter and Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, both of whom recur in later Marvel productions.

Joe Johnston (The Rocketeer) directed the movie from a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. It was followed by two direct sequels and 8 other appearances from Captain America in Marvel films.