The first image of the Cosmic Cube in Captain America: The First Avenger has gone online. The Cube is an item of major importance in the Marvel Universe. When footage from Captain America was shown at last year's Comic-Con, we saw [minor spoiler alert] Red Skull (played by Hugo Weaving) discovering the Cube. It's also possible we'll be capturing a glimpse of the Cube in Thor. When Steve visited the set of Thor, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said:
"Odin’s vault which is where a number of the most dangerous relics of the nine realms are kept. There are a couple of key McGuffins kept in here which lead to the story of the movie and even the story of other movies."
Hit the jump to check out the image and to learn more about the Cosmic Cube. Directed by Joe Johnston, Captain America: The First Avenger is due out in 3D on July 22nd.
The image was scanned from SFX Magazine and comes to us via the SuperHeroHype message boards.
Here's a description of the Cosmic Cube via the Marvel wiki:
The Cosmic Cubes are items that control matter and energy, answering to the will of the sentient beings that use them. They require practice to be used properly, but a skillful user can alter all reality to answer to its thought, granting anything they desire.
Most Cosmic Cubes are cube-shaped matrices. However, similar objects with different shapes are known as Cosmic Containment Units.
Sentient beings wanting to create a Cosmic Cube must generate a force field to open a rift to another dimension inhabited by the Beyonders, allowing the extra-dimensional energy to filter through the rift. When entering the Earth's dimension, the energies can be held in a matrix, and the force itself would shape the matrix into a perfect cube. It would also provide the Cube with its almost-unlimited power.
A Cube would eventually develop its own intelligence, commonly influenced by the beings who had manipulated it. Mephisto has postulated that the Cubes are hosts to a semi-sentient will and that, even in Cube form, they can choose how they want to be used, and deny certain wishes. Mephisto also has proposed that a billion-sentient universally-linked will could overcame this problem, and that the Cubes could be as powerful as the Infinity Gems.
Finally, for those just tuning in, here's the official plot synopsis for Captain America: The First Avenger, which stars Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, and Hugo Weaving:
Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige will produce CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. Alan Fine, Stan Lee, David Maisel and Louis D’Esposito will executive produce. The film will be released in the US on July 22, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.
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.