As revealed to an even wider audience in the two Iron Man movies, Tony Stark’s dad, Howard, had a crucial role to play in helping to found the S.H.I.E.L.D team back around the time of World War Two. So it should be no surprise to learn that he’ll crop up in Captain America: The First Avenger in a younger incarnation than the one who helped his son out via the magic of convenient film reel.
Which brings us to the matter of who’d play him, since John Slattery, who got the role for Iron Man 2, is a little bit old to be playing Howard at 30 or younger. So we’re intrigued – if cautious – to learn that Mamma Mia/An Education’s Dominic Cooper might just be slipping into Stark’s sharp suit.
We add the cautionary part because Salon’s interview with the man at Cannes drops only the tiniest reference to him cropping up in** Captain America** and at no time during the filmed version of the chat does he actually say he’s got the role. Plus, Marvel has been steadily making announcements about casting on the movie, so you think the company would have shouted about finding a Howard. So consider this still floating in the ghostly chasm between rumour and reality for now.
If he has joined – and he’s certainly a great choice with an air of the Downey Jrs about him – he’ll be working with a cast that already includes Chris Evans as the titular hero, Hugo Weaving, Sebastian Stan, Hayley Atwell and Toby Jones. Joe Johnston starts shooting the thing next month in the UK.
So, what do you think? Is Cooper the man for the job? Or do you find yourself wishing they’d slather John Slattery in Oil of Olay so he’d look young enough to do the job himself?