Captain America (1992)
MovieOptionalLegacy
Steve Rogers battles the Red Skull in this low-budget adaptation of the Marvel hero. This 1992 Marvel film sits outside the MCU timeline, so you can watch it on its own without any homework. It runs 1h 37m.
| Release date | July 22, 1992 |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 1h 37m |
| Age rating | PG-13, some material may be inappropriate for under 13 |
| IMDb rating | 3.3/10 |
| Series | Legacy Marvel films |
| Post-credit scene | No |
Why it matters now
The low-budget 1990 adaptation with the infamous rubber ears. It's a failure, but an interesting one, and a reminder of how far comic-book movies have come.
About Captain America
Albert Pyun's Captain America starts in 1936 Italy, where the Fascist government kidnaps a boy, Tadzio De Santis, for a supersoldier experiment. The scientist behind it, Dr. Maria Vaselli, defects to the US, where frail polio survivor Steve Rogers becomes her first success. The scarred De Santis grows up to be the Red Skull, and their first fight ends with Steve frozen in Alaskan ice. Decades later he is thawed out just as the Skull, now running a crime family, moves against an environmentally minded US president, Tom Kimball.
Menahem Golan produced it through 21st Century Film Corporation, having kept the Captain America rights when he left Cannon. Stephen Tolkin wrote the script from a story with Larry Block. Matt Salinger stars as Steve, with Scott Paulin as the Red Skull, Ronny Cox as Kimball, Ned Beatty as a reporter and Darren McGavin as General Fleming. Shot mainly in what was then Yugoslavia on about $3 million, it missed its planned August 1990 release, opened in the UK in December 1990 and went straight to video and cable in the US in July 1992. Reviews were harsh (16% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it has a cult following.
Good to know
- This Red Skull is Italian rather than German, and the filmmakers toned down his skull face because they felt audiences wouldn't want to look at it for a whole film.
- Val Kilmer was offered the lead but turned it down to make The Doors.
- A Stan Lee cameo was filmed but cut.
- Two longer versions exist: Pyun's self-released 2011 director's cut and a 2025 Blu-ray edition called The Pyun Cut, released after his death in 2022.
- It was meant to mark Captain America's 50th anniversary in 1990 but slipped two years in the US.
How to watch it
This stands alone, with no ties to the 1979 TV movies or the MCU. It's interesting to watch near Captain America: The First Avenger, since both use the same basic beats: a sickly Steve, the serum, a fight with the Red Skull and decades in the ice. Expect a low-budget early-'90s action movie rather than a polished blockbuster. If you're curious, Pyun's director's cut is generally considered the better version.
Where it fits in your watch
- All legacy Marvel films
Captain America (1992) FAQ
Is Captain America (1990) the same as the 1992 movie?
Yes. It was completed for a 1990 release and played in the UK that December, but it didn't reach US audiences until it went to home video and cable in July 1992.
Who plays Captain America in the 1990 movie?
Matt Salinger plays Steve Rogers. Scott Paulin plays the Red Skull.
Why is the Red Skull Italian in Captain America (1990)?
The film rewrote his origin so that he's Tadzio De Santis, a boy taken by Italy's Fascist government for its supersoldier program.
Can you skip Captain America (1992)?
Yes. It’s not on the MCU timeline, so you won’t miss any MCU story by skipping it.
When was Captain America (1992) released?
Captain America was released on July 22, 1992.
Is Captain America (1992) part of the MCU?
No. Captain America (1992) is a Marvel film made outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it isn’t on Marvel Studios’ official timeline.
Does Captain America (1992) have a post-credit scene?
No, Captain America (1992) has no post-credit scene.