New Images: 'Captain America: The First Avenger'

We still don't have a full trailer for Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger, which opens on July 22. But here are two new images that show off Cap in uniform.

Both come via Empire, and while the cover of the new issue is a good shot of Chris Evans, I'm a lot more partial to the smaller shot that shows off the character in full mask and helmet. Let's see a higher-res version of that one.

There's not a lot online from the magazine's feature just yet, but Marvel head Kevin Feige says,

Scripts had been developed that took place half in World War Two, half in the modern day and none of those scripts were particularly successful because the costume ended up overshadowing the man. So we finally said, 'If we could make a Captain America movie any way we wanted to make it, how would we make it?' Well, we'd set the entire movie in the past, in that period, with all of the Marvel trimmings. And so we made the fun, kick-ass Captain America movie we wanted to.

In other words: pretty much what we knew. Director Joe Johnston compares the tone of the film to Raiders of the Lost Ark in that it is a modern action movie that takes place specifically in a period context, going on to explain,

[Raiders] was period but didn't feel like it was made in the period. It felt like a modern-day film about the period, which is what we're doing on Captain America. It will not feel like a war movie. It's funny where it needs to be and emotional where it needs to be and serious and full of action.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER 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.

Born during the Great Depression, Steve Rogers grew up a frail youth in a poor family. Horrified by the newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to enlist in the army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy's earnest plea, General Chester Phillips offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment... Operation: Rebirth. After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the Super-Solider Serum and bombarded by "vita-rays." Steve Rogers emerged from the treatment with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program. Three months later, he was given his first assignment as Captain America. Armed with his indestructible shield and battle savvy, Captain America has continued his war against evil both as a sentinel of liberty and as leader of the Avengers.