"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" Starting March 2013

According to reports, Marvel's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier", the sequel to the 2011 feature "Captain America: The First Avenger" and the ninth film in the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe', will start shooting March 2013, targeting an April 4, 2014 release date.

To be directed by Anthony and Joseph Russo ("Community"), the second 'Captain America' installment will pick-up where Marvel’s "The Avengers" feature leaves off, as 'Steve Rogers' (Chris Evans) continues his affiliation with 'Nick Fury' (Samuel L. Jackson) and the 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' organization, while struggling to embrace his role in the modern world.

In the new film, actor Sebastian Stan returns as 'James "Bucky" Barnes' who becomes a brainwashed Russian assassin known as the 'Winter Soldier'.

According to the original Marvel Comics storyline, in 1945 Captain America and Bucky tried to stop the villain 'Baron Zemo' from destroying an experimental drone plane, after Zemo launches the plane with an attached explosive device. Bucky unsuccessfully tries to defuse the bomb, and it explodes in mid-air before reaching its intended target.

After the plane explodes, 'General Vasily Karpov' and the crew of a Russian patrol submarine find Bucky's cold-preserved body, minus one arm. 

Bucky is revived in Moscow, but suffers brain damage with amnesia as a result of the explosion. Scientists attach a bionic arm, upgrading it as technology improves. 

Programmed to be a Soviet assassin for 'Department X', under the code name the 'Winter Soldier', he is sent on covert missions, involving political assassinations, becoming increasingly ruthless, but finds time to have a brief relationship with 'The Black Widow'.

Also in the new film, actor Anthony Mackie will play Marvel Comics' African-American superhero character 'Samuel Thomas Wilson' aka the 'Falcon' who has a mental affinity with birds and a suit allowing him to fly. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and illustrator Gene Colan, Falcon debuted in Marvel's "Captain America" #117 (Sept. 1969).

Joss Whedon, writer/director of the billion dollar earning blockbuster "The Avengers", who recently signed to creatively consult on all of Marvel’s, Disney-distributed films in development will also have a significant say in the direction of the film.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Captain America: The First Avenger"...