Development of Civil War started in late 2013 when Markus and McFeely began writing the screenplay, which borrows concepts from the 2006 comic book storyline Civil War. The Russo brothers were brought back to direct in early 2014 after positive reactions to test screenings of The Winter Soldier. The film's title was revealed in October 2014 and Downey was added to the cast, with additional cast members joining the film in the following months. The film began principal photography in April 2015 at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County, Georgia and the Metro Atlanta area, before concluding in Germany in August 2015.
Captain America: Civil War held its world premiere in Los Angeles on April 12, 2016. It was released internationally on April 27, and is scheduled to be released in North America on May 6, in 3D and IMAX 3D.
Plot
In 1991, HYDRA operatives in Siberia revive Sgt. James "Bucky" Barnes from a cryogenic state and condition him to be completely obedient to anyone who recites certain trigger words. He is then dispatched to intercept an automobile carrying a case of super-soldier serum, and assassinate its occupants.
At the Avengers' headquarters, Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross informs the Avengers that the United Nations is preparing to pass the Sokovia Accords, which will establish an international governing body to monitor and police the rapidly growing superhuman population.[citation needed] The team is divided over the accords: Tony Stark supports oversight because he feels guilty for creating Ultron and for the destruction in Sokovia, while Rogers is distrustful of governmental agendas and wishes the Avengers to remain free to act of their own accord.
Unable to convince Rogers to support the accords, Romanoff bears witness to the ratification of the accords in Vienna, after which a bombing kills King T'Chaka of Wakanda. T'Chaka's son T'Challa vows to kill the bomber, who security footage indicates is Barnes. Despite Romanoff's objections, Rogers and Wilson track Barnes to his hideout in Bucharest and attempt to protect him from the police and T'Challa. Rogers, Wilson, Barnes, and T'Challa are captured. Barnes is soon released by Colonel Helmut Zemo, who uses HYDRA's trigger words to question Barnes about the 1991 mission, then sends him on a rampage. Rogers stops Barnes and sneaks him away; when he regains his senses, Barnes explains that Zemo is responsible, and that he is heading to the Siberian facility where Barnes was held, ostensibly to unfreeze the other Winter Soldiers the stolen serum was used to create.
Rogers recruits Wanda, Clint Barton, and Scott Lang to help him. Stark convinces Ross to let him bring his renegade comrades in, and assembles Romanoff, T'Challa, James Rhodes, and Vision, as well as amateur young hero Peter Parker. Stark and his team intercept Rogers' team at Leipzig/Halle Airport, resulting in a huge battle, during which Romanoff allows Rogers and Barnes to escape. The rest of Rogers's team is captured, while Rhodes is paralyzed after being inadvertently shot down by Vision. Romanoff reveals to Stark that Barnes was framed by Zemo, then disappears under the threat of being arrested for not operating under the accords.
Stark follows Rogers and Barnes to the Siberian HYDRA facility and reconciles with them, unaware that he has been pursued by T'Challa. They discover that the other Winter Soldiers have been killed by Zemo, who then shows footage that reveals it was Stark's parents who Barnes killed in 1991. Enraged to learn that Rogers was aware of this, Stark turns on Barnes. In the resulting fight, Barnes loses his robotic arm and Rogers disables Stark's armor. Rogers departs with Barnes and leaves his shield behind. Content that he has achieved his goal of destroying the Avengers from within in revenge for the deaths of his family in the Sokovia attack, Zemo attempts suicide, but is stopped by T'Challa, who takes him in alive.
In the aftermath, Stark gives Rhodes an exoskeleton to let him walk again. Rogers breaks his comrades out of prison and flees to Wakanda, where Barnes chooses to be frozen until a cure for his brainwashing can be found. In a post-credits scene, Parker is recovering from his injuries when his web-shooters project a spider-shaped symbol.
The leader of a faction of Avengers against regulation,[4][5] and a World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum and frozen in suspended animation before waking up in the modern world.[6][7] Evans costume in the film received "subtle changes to all the details and cut" as well as its color, becoming a combination of the stealth suit from Winter Soldier and the Avengers: Age of Ultron suit.[8] According to Joe Russo, Rogers does not become a disillusioned antihero stating, "his morality is part of his superpower,"[9] and adding, "...there’s an inspirational quality to his character. So it’s nice to have characters around him that he can inspire. Leadership is also a key component of his, and you can’t lead unless you have other characters around. But he's also got an expanding universe—Winter Soldier, Agent 13, the Falcon—so there’s already a universe that’s expanding around him."[10] Describing his role in the plot, Evans said, "Tony [Stark] actually thinks we should be signing these accords and reporting to somebody and Cap, who's always been a company man and has always been a soldier, actually doesn't trust anymore. Given what happened in Cap 2, I think he kind of feels the safest hands are his own."[11] Anthony Russo said Captain America's character arc in the film is taking "him from the most ra-ra company man" to someone who is "a somewhat willing propagandist, and by the end of the third film he’s an insurgent."[12] Evans added, "It’s exciting to see a guy who’s as optimistic and as selfless as Steve be met with letdown, betrayal, frustration, and selfishness. There are events and people in his life that test him — that challenge him and force him to reevaluate who he is and what he wants out of life."[13] On Rogers' romantic life, Joe Russo said, "we can only keep Cap romantically uninvolved for so long. At some point, something has to happen with that character, so we are very aware of his lack of romantic life. We want to keep dimensionalizing his character so maybe something interesting will happen."[14]
The leader of a faction of Avengers in support of regulation,[4][5] and self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with electromechanical suits of armor of his own invention.[15][16] On how the character evolves in the film over previous portrayals of the character, Downey said, "[I]t’s natural to change your views. The main thing to me is... what sort of incident could occur and what sort of framework could we find Tony in? The clues are in [Avengers: Age of Ultron] about where we might find him next."[17] Anthony Russo added that Stark's egomania allowed the writers "to bring him to a point in his life where he was willing to submit to an authority, where he felt it was the right thing to do." Joe Russo added that because of the visions Stark saw in Age of Ultron, he now has a "guilty complex" which "drives him to make very specific decisions," calling his emotional arc "very complicated".[12] Marvel initially wanted Downey's part to be smaller, however "Downey wanted Stark to have a more substantial role in the film’s plot." Variety noted that Downey would receive $40 million plus backend for his participation, as well as an additional payout if the film outperforms The Winter Soldier, as Marvel would feel the success of this film would be attributed to Downey.[18] Downey's personal trainer Eric Oram stated that the trick to pitting Rogers against Stark, "is to show Iron Man using the 'minimum force' necessary to win the fight, and not to look like he's trying to go wild and kill somebody."[19]
An Avenger allied with Stark,[4][5] who formerly worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. as a highly trained spy.[20] Anthony Russo noted her torn allegiances in the film, saying "her head is with Tony’s side of things, but her heart is with Cap in a lot of ways. It’s a really awesome spot for her as a character in the film."[12] Johansson added in the film, Romanoff is "looking to strategize her position, putting herself in a place where she is able to let the powers that be fight it out or whatever amongst themselves" in order for her to "have a better perspective of what’s really going on."[21] Describing her character's situation after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Johansson said, "I think that the Widow's past will always haunt her. She's trying to move forward, she's trying to pick up the pieces of her life. I think we'll see parts of that in Cap 3 when we find her. And certainly she has a greater purpose, and I think that greater purpose is charged by this need to escape her past. So, it's always kind of right there, kind of looming over her shoulders."[22] She also said that Romanoff is at a point in her life where she can make choices herself, without having others have a hand in the decision process.[23] On the continuation of the relationship between Romanoff and Rogers from The Winter Soldier, Joe Russo said that they wanted to "test it" by having Romanoff point out to Rogers the mistakes the team have made and convince him "that it might not be as black and white as he sees it" and that the Avengers must "find a way to work within the system so that [they] aren’t disbanded."[12]
An enhanced brainwashed assassin allied with Rogers,[4][5] and his best friend who reemerged after being thought killed in action during World War II.[24][25][26] Stan stated that his character in Civil War is an amalgam of his experiences as Barnes and the Winter Soldier, saying, "You know, here’s the guy when you merge the two. This is what came out. To me, he’s never really going to be Bucky Barnes again. There’s going to be recognizable things about him, but his path through the [experiences of] Winter Soldier is always going to be there, haunting him. He recognizes his past, but at the same time he’s sort of a new character, too."[27] Stan stated he had more lines in the film over his appearance in Winter Soldier, and how that applied to the development of the character, he said, "The look of the Winter Soldier is a very specific look. There was something very specific in how the guy looked and behaved and I felt like the more I stepped back and I just kind of let that do the work, the better it was gonna be. In a situation like that, you’re trying to guess where the guy’s at in his mind, and that certainly continues in the Civil War movie. You’re always trying to guess what side is he on or … because he can go both ways."[28]
An Avenger allied with Rogers,[4][5] and a former pararescueman trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack.[29] Wilson is aided by a robotic drone named Redwing.[30] Discussing the relationship between Wilson and Rogers, Mackie said, "With Falcon and Cap, what's so great is there's a mutual respect. There's a soldier respect. What's great about... [Captain America: Civil War] is you get to see their relationship grow,"[31] adding, "He respects and admires Cap because Cap earned his rank as opposed to sitting in an office and just delegating orders."[32] Joe Russo stated that the inclusion of Barnes to Rogers' side forces Wilson to question the dynamic and relationship he has with Rogers going forward.[12]
An Avenger allied with Stark,[4][5] and an officer in the U.S. Air Force who operates the War Machine armor.[33] Cheadle called Rhodes' appearance in the film a "bit more intense and pivotal" compared to his previous appearances.[34] Cheadle stated that that Rhodes' status as a new Avenger would be in conflict with his role in the military, saying, "I think he's kinda torn...where he's trying to follow chain of command and do what his sworn appointed duty has dictated, and also to do something a bit outside of the lines with the Avengers."[35]
A master archer allied with Rogers,[4][5] who previously worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers.[8][36] On Barton's reasons for joining Rogers' side, Renner said, "Cap was the first guy who called. Let’s just get the job done so I can get home to the family."[32] On how he and Barton fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Renner said, "I’m happy to be the ensemble. I’m not scratching or clawing to do a solo movie by any means...I think [Barton's] a utility guy that can bounce around into other people’s universes a little bit, especially like Cap 3."[37]
The prince of the African nation of Wakanda allied with Stark.[4][5][38][39][40] On including the character in the film, Feige said, "The reason we introduced him in Civil War is because we needed a third party. We needed fresh eyes who wasn’t [sic] embedded with the Avengers and who has a very different point of view than either Tony or Steve. We said, ‘We need somebody like Black Panther… why don’t we just use Black Panther?’" Feige also said that T'Challa would be in the "beginning phases of taking on" the Black Panther mantle.[41] He also added that his appearance in Civil War is more than a cameo, giving him a full arc and character journey with "his own conflict and his own people that he's looking out for."[42] Joe Russo said that T'Challa is "there for a very different reason which brings him into conflict with Cap and his team."[12] Executive producer Nate Moore added that T'Challa is "the undecided voter", whose agenda does not exactly align with either Rogers' or Stark's.[42] The Black Panther costume is a combination of a practical costume and visual effects, featuring a vibranium mesh weave similar to chainmail.[12] On landing the role, Boseman said, "It wasn’t really an audition process. It was more of a discussion about what they wanted to do and how I saw it and what I wanted to do. It was more of a feeling out process".[43] Describing T'Challa, Boseman said, "You never quite know where he stands. There’s always a bit of concealing and mystery."[40] He added that T'Challa is torn between needing to live up to traditions, his father and nation of Wakanda's legacy and the way things were done in the past and how things need to happen in the present.[42] Boseman has a five picture deal with Marvel.[44]
An android and Avenger allied with Stark,[4][5] that was created using the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. and the Mind Stone.[33] As the Vision has the ability to create a projected disguise, he chooses to dress similarly to Howard Stark's attache, Edwin Jarvis.[8] Describing his preparation for the role, Bettany said, "I was given comics. I also was looking to think about what could be edifying for me to learn. I took the opportunity - you see my character get born... He must be both omnipotent and yet totally naive at the same time. And experiencing the world in real time and his place in it. Is he going to be a force of good or a force of evil? It was really interesting, fun to play with, because he’s dangerous, you don’t know if he’s going to go one way or another. I’m continuing that theme in Captain America 3."[45] Bettany also said he was interested in exploring "what it means to be human and what love is" with the character, as "The only way one can guarantee one's loyalty is love."[46]
An Avenger allied with Rogers,[5][47] who can harness magic and engage in hypnosis and telekinesis.[48] Describing Maximoff's role in the film, Olsen said, "She’s doing alright. She’s confused, she’s conflicted. She’s found some people she thinks she connects with, but she’s doing alright. They released images of Team Cap and Team Iron Man. She wasn’t there. She’s always the wild card. I like being the wild card."[49] According to Olsen, the character is "coming into her own and starting to understand and have conflict with how she wants to use her abilities. It’s a dramatic conflict within her and obviously there’s conflict within the [Avengers] as well."[50] When asked about the relationship between her character and the Vision compared to the comics, Olsen said, "You learn a little bit more about what connects [Scarlet and Vision] in this film. And I think there's some really sweet moments between Paul and I, and it's more about how they relate to one another and their similarities just based on their superpowers."[51]
A superhero and former criminal allied with Rogers,[4][5] who acquired a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale, while also increasing in strength.[33][52][53] Rudd's suit "is streamlined and more high-tech" from the one seen in Ant-Man.[8]Ant-Man director Peyton Reed revealed that he had discussed the character and the way that the Ant-Man production had shot certain sequences with the Russo brothers, saying, "As we were doing the movie and we were in post and they were getting ready to head out to Atlanta to do Civil War, we had a lot of conversations. And I actually wanted those guys to come in and look at our stuff, because there’s gotta be a lot of sort of crossover. I found myself getting extremely protective over the character of Scott Lang and talking to the guys, the writers, the Russo’s [sic] about, 'He wouldn't do that.' It’s important because there’s this continuity that has to happen in this universe."[54]
A former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., who now works for the CIA, allied with Rogers.[4][5][55][56] VanCamp stated that her character sides with Rogers because they both have "similar moral compasses".[57] On a potential relationship between Rogers and Carter as in the comics, Evans said, "he's certainly open to it. Sharon is obviously relevant, but ... we don’t have to tie it up in one movie. So they have time."[23] VanCamp added, "We get to explore... I can't say we are going to that extent of it, but they are certainly getting to know each other."[57]
A teenager allied with Stark,[58] who received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a genetically altered spider.[59][60][61][62] Feige said that Parker would be torn between superhero ideologies, saying, "Does he want to be like these other characters? Does he want nothing to do with these other characters? How does that impact his experience, being this grounded but super powerful hero? Those are all the things that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko played with in the first 10 years of his comics, and that now we can play with for the first time in a movie."[63] On aligning with Stark, Anthony Russo said that, despite entering the conflict after the two factions have formed and not having much political investment, Parker's choice comes from "a very personal relationship" he develops with Stark.[58][64] The Russos hoped "to take a very logical and realistic and naturalistic approach to the character" compared to the previous film portrayals. Anthony Russo added that the character's introduction had to fit "that specific tonal stylistic world" of the MCU, as well as the tone established by the directors in Winter Soldier, saying, "It's a little more grounded and a little more hard-core contemporary." That was "coloring our choices a lot" with Parker.[65] On the Spider-Man suit, Joe Russo described it as "a slightly more traditional, Steve Ditko influenced suit," and that the film would explore the way the suit operates, particularly the mechanical eyes.[66] Holland chose not to read the whole Civil War script in order to avoid potentially leaking plot information publicly.[67] He is signed on for at least three films, not including his Civil War appearance.[68]
Former commander of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s counter-terrorism S.T.R.I.K.E. team, who was revealed to be an agent of Hydra. On returning to the character, Grillo said "He’s a badass. He is just vicious. I like the idea that it’s no holds barred. I was 15 pounds bigger when I did Cap 2, and I'll put another 15 pounds on to do Cap 3. I love the physicality. It changes the way you look; it changes the way you feel."[69] However, he cautioned that "This movie is such a big movie with a lot of people in it, so you don't get as much of the time that you'd like to have. But, it's all good. We'll see what happens."[70] On if Rumlow would kill Captain America in the film, as he does in the comic "Civil War" storyline, Grillo said, "The thing with Marvel is they don't always follow to the tee what the character did in the comic books... we're probably not gonna see that happen. I'm not gonna kill him yet." Grillo also stated that Rumlow's main objective in the film is to seek revenge adding, "Whatever Rumlow was feeling as far as being torn between which side he should be on, which I think he was, is gone now."[71]
The United States Secretary of State and former U.S. Armygeneral dedicated to capturing the Hulk.[33][30] Hurt, on returning to the MCU, said, "I don’t think it’s a reprise, I think it’s a new iteration completely,"[72] adding, "what [the writers have] done is they've taken a character who was the Ross from [The Incredible Hulk] and made a new version... a more modernized style."[73] Joe Russo added that Ross was the perfect character to use because he has "a fanatical anti-superhero point of view" and has "become much savvier and more political and has put himself in a position of power, not unlike a Colin Powell. He’s cornering the Avengers politically now, he’s out-maneuvering them." Joe also added that Ross was included because the Russos felt it was important to make The Incredible Hulk "relevant again within the [MCU]" since it "may have been forgotten about a little bit".[12]
A Sokovian terrorist who is obsessed with defeating the Avengers. Zemo, who goes by multiple names in the film,[59] does not wear his signature mask from the comics. Brühl said the version appearing in the film is "loosely connected" to the character from the comics and that was a reason he liked Marvel, as "some of the characters and things they're dealing with always reference to current events so my character is from a different area than you would think."[75] Joe Russo added that the character in the film would be a "fresh and exciting" take on the character not tied to the mythology from the comic books.[12] Feige described the character as "very much a product of the [Marvel] Cinematic Universe and all that has occurred within that universe up to this point."[59] Brühl, who was cast due to his German accent, did not feel the role was a stereotype, saying, "It's not a guy who's mean and sinister, but he's actually very clever - a very smart guy who does everything out of a very understandable reason and motivation."[76] Brühl also stated that Zemo may also appear in future MCU films,[75] with Moore adding that, while Zemo has a purpose in this film, it is more to set up a future film.[77]
Additionally, John Slattery and Kerry Condon reprise their roles as Howard Stark and F.R.I.D.A.Y from previous MCU films.[78][79][80]Martin Freeman is introduced as Everett Ross, a member of the Joint Counter Terrorism Center and a character associated with Black Panther in the comics.[81][82] Freeman described Ross as someone who "works for the American government...[and] works in conjunction with the superheroes, and certain agencies that help to tame the superheroes' power". In terms of whether Ross would side with Stark or Rogers in the film, Freeman said that Ross is "ambiguous" and "you don't know whether he's good or bad" so "you’re not quite sure which side he's on. It looks a little bit like he's playing one game when actually he's playing another."[83] Feige added that Ross would appear briefly in the film, with the intent being to expand on the character's role in future films.[59]Alfre Woodard, who portrays Mariah Dillard in the MCU TV series Luke Cage, appears in the film as Miriam Sharpe, the mother of an American citizen killed in the battle of Sokovia. Woodard was suggested for the role by Downey, before Marvel Studios learned of her casting in Luke Cage.[84]Marisa Tomei appears as May Parker, Peter Parker's aunt,[85]John Kani appears as T'Chaka, father of T'Challa,[80] and Hope Davis appears as Maria Stark, Tony Stark's mother.[79]Jim Rash appears as a faculty member at MIT.[86]Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance as a FedEx truck driver.[87]
Production
Development
"This is the Civil War of the Cinematic Universe, which will be greatly inspired by the "Civil War" of the comic universe, but we have a very different continuity going on. So this will be Civil War based off all the other films you've seen up until this point, particularly Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron...It's not about the secret identity thing, as much as it is about, overall, who reports to who, and who can agree to [an] oversight committee. Because as of now, in [Age of Ultron], there is no more security council, there is no S.H.I.E.L.D., obviously. Stark is paying for [the Avengers], Captain America is running it, and things occur that will make governments begin to question."
In an April 2014 interview, Joe Russo described the project as a continuation of the story from Captain America: The Winter Soldier: "What’s nice about the film is that...it's a two-parter. There's a journey that the Winter Soldier goes on that isn't complete yet. The next movie, it would seem logically to want to be about the completion of that journey. [sic]"[93] That month, Marvel announced a release date of May 6, 2016,[94] and Trent Opaloch, who was the cinematographer on The Winter Soldier, said he would return for the sequel.[95] In July, Markus and McFeely stated that they were midway through a first draft for the film, on which principle photography was expected to begin in April 2015.[96] The following month, they stated that they were looking to make the tone of the film "an amalgam" of The First Avenger and The Winter Soldier,[97] with the Russos likening it to a psychological thriller, citing Seven, Fargo, and The Godfather as influences,[5] along with westerns and Brian De Palma's films.[77] The Russos also stated that "a good portion of [Civil War is] actually funnier than Winter Soldier" with a more comedic tone and lighter moments throughout.[98]
In August 2014, the Russos stated that the film would be set "a couple years" after The Winter Soldier left off and would continue to both focus on Steve Rogers' relationship with Bucky Barnes and explore the political themes related to Captain America, with Anthony saying, "The character was invented for an explicitly political purpose. So it's hard to get away from that nature." The Russos also said that they would be "bringing some new elements to the table that will give us a twist on Winter Soldier",[9] and reiterated that filming is scheduled to begin in April 2015, indicating that it would take place in Atlanta. They described themselves as "ecstatic" with a first draft of the screenplay submitted by Markus and McFeely, and also stated that the film's title would be announced "in a month or so at most", and that the concept and title for the film came from Feige, who has had it "for a while". Joe stated, "We can pitch out characters that we think would be interesting in the story. There's incredible room to move," and Anthony added that the film has to wrap itself around Feige's idea.[91][99] In September, Joe expanded by saying the film would have another "big idea that alters the universe as a whole in some way" similar to S.H.I.E.L.D. falling in The Winter Soldier, with the rest of the film, such as the characters, story, and tone, left open to the Russos' and writers' interpretation.[99]
Pre-production
By October 2014, Robert Downey Jr. had entered final negotiations to reprise his role as Tony Stark / Iron Man in the film. Downey was added in order for the film to adapt the 2006–07 "Civil War" comic book storyline written by Mark Millar, which pitted Iron Man against Captain America.[18] At the end of the month, it was confirmed that Sebastian Stan would return as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier,[24] and a few days later, Marvel revealed that the film would be titled Captain America: Civil War, confirming Downey's appearance and announcing that Chadwick Boseman would appear in the film as Black Panther ahead of his own solo film.[15][38][39] Feige also confirmed that the film would be the first in the MCU's Phase Three slate of films.[88] Anthony Russo stated that adapting the "Civil War" storyline was not always the intended storyline and direction for the film when the brothers initially signed on to return as directors.[100] Markus expanded on this, saying the original concept for a third Captain America film "never got to draft", with Feige at some point telling the writing team to begin adapting "Civil War" around their original ideas. McFeely also added that, despite the shift in direction for the film, "The central theme, even the way Zemo is operating, are from that [early] iteration."[101]
McFeely said that the idea of basing a film on "Civil War" had "been on and off the table for a while" at Marvel Studios, explaining, "it's a challenge to do it and make sure that all the characters that we've established, and everyone's established in the MCU are serviced and sound correct. Because there's a difference between the characters in "Civil War", which was written in 2006, 2007. The MCU doesn't exist [when it was written]. There isn't a Robert Downey, Jr. or Chris Evans who has helped create the character[s] so we need to make sure that that template gets adjusted and what have you in order to make sure it services these characters and not just sort of rip off their parts and make them look like them."[102] Joe Russo added that the "essence" of "Civil War" was used, such as "the concept of registration, the notion that heroes need to be either monitored or controlled because their power can be scary" being applicable. Anthony Russo expanded, "in a lot of ways [superhero registration] can be a political issue, and we didn’t want the conflict of the movie to solely exist on that level. We wanted to figure out very personal reasons why everyone’s relationship to this idea of registration is going to become complicated. That’s what the relationship between Steve and Bucky allowed us to do, to get very personal in terms of why people would lean one way or the other.[12] Executive producer Nate Moore added that "it felt like it was kind of the right time" to adapt "Civil War" given The Avengers, plus many of the Phase Two films (Thor: The Dark World, The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron), all dealt with "world-ending experiences. We felt like we had to tell the next step in that story, which is what happened? What is the world’s reaction?"[5]
In January 2015, Mackie revealed that, in addition to Atlanta, filming locations would include Puerto Rico and Berlin,[108] while the Russo brothers confirmed that Scarlett Johansson would return in the film as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow,[20] and editorJeffrey Ford, who worked on The Winter Soldier, signed on for Civil War.[109] In March 2015, Jeremy Renner was revealed to be reprising his role as Clint Barton / Hawkeye.[36] The next month, it was revealed that the film would be converted to 3D in post-production,[110] and that Brühl would be playing Helmut Zemo.[74] Additionally, Elizabeth Olsen revealed she would reprise her role in the film as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch.[48] The filmmakers looked to previous MCU films in determining which characters would be included in Civil War, explaining that the omission of Thor, Bruce Banner / Hulk, and Hope van Dyne / Wasp was because of their character arc statuses, following their respective appearances in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man. Executive producer Nate Moore elaborated that, "It’s not because we don’t like those characters, it’s just that their stories naturally took them to a place that meant they didn’t need to be involved in this film."[111] Early drafts included the recruitment of the Wasp alongside Ant-Man / Scott Lang, but this was removed to allow "maximum impact" from other characters.[112]
After the reveal of the film's full cast, many outlets and fans began referring to the film as "Avengers 2.5", given the variety and ensemble nature of the cast, usually reserved for the Avengers films, and the fact that the film no longer felt like a Captain America-centric one, as with The Winter Soldier.[120][121][122][123][124] In response to this, Feige said, "What’s fun about Civil War though is, as you know from the comics, it’s a very simple story. And it really has to be, to accommodate that many players. It’s very much a Captain America movie and it’s very much a sequel to the Winter Soldier in ways I don’t think people [will expect].... It’s a very simple structure that allows you to have these amazing character interactions in a way that I don’t think becomes overwhelming."[125] Feige also revealed that Hope van Dyne / Wasp was in an original draft of the film, after receiving the Wasp costume at the end of Ant-Man, but was cut because "there are so many characters in Civil War that we didn’t want to do her a disservice," saying Marvel was "saving" the character for a better environment to reveal van Dyne in the Wasp costume for the first time and see "her dynamic with Scott [Lang] in a way it could play out".[126]
On each of the character's ties to the plot, Anthony Russo added that each character was examined on a personal level to see how they would respond to the idea of registration and whether the stakes would be good or bad for them.[12] On the portrayal of each character, Joe Russo said that he and his brother had strong "emotional" and "psychological connection[s] to [these] characters" as children, adding, "We want to reach into that and understand what elementally motivated you to love the character. That's what we try to bring out in the characters now." He also mentioned that they were "trying to honor the feeling of naturalism and to honor the feeling of reality [with the film]. The harder we can pull these characters into reality, the better for us...it's important for us that these characters live in the world that we live in because it makes them more real and it makes our experience of watching them more passionate and more well-rounded."[65]
At the end of May, the Russo brothers, along with Feige and Pascal, held a screen test in Atlanta for six teenage actors that were being eyed for the role of Peter Parker / Spider-Man, with the actors testing against Downey and Evans for "chemistry";[68][100][127]Tom Holland was cast as the character the next month, to also appear in a solo film.[60] The Russos "were pretty vocal about who we wanted for the part", pushing to cast an actor close to the age of Peter Parker in the comics, in order to differentiate from the previous portrayals. They also praised Holland for having a dancing and gymnastics background.[59] At the time, Marvel did not confirm his involvement in Civil War,[61][128] due to being contractually obligated not to talk about his inclusion publicly.[59] The Russos discussed this, saying that the various business deals and agreements stemming from the sharing of the character rights, such as on a promotional and commercial level, "were always lagging slightly behind how we were using the character. We were always in danger of upsetting the deal—there were still sensitive issues going on between the two studios that they needed to agree on."[129] Holland was confirmed to appear in the film in July 2015, by Jonathan M. Goldstein, one of the writers of the solo Spider-Man film,[62] and later by Entertainment Weekly from a set visit.[59] Anthony Russo stated that, despite Marvel telling them to have a "plan B" should the deal with Sony fail, the Russos never created one because "it was very important to us to reintroduce" Spider-Man in the film, adding, "We only have envisioned the movie with Spider-Man."[130]
With the film seemingly continuing plot threads first introduced in Age of Ultron, Mendelson wondered "to what extent the whole 'Consequences galore!' narrative of Civil War will improve Age of Ultron. As much great stuff as that movie has...[it ultimately shows] the main hero foolishly/recklessly [bring] a world-killing threat to Earth and lots of really bad stuff goes down and yet no one seems to care at the end...What does it mean if Civil War does retroactively improve Age of Ultron? Will we be at a point where we really can’t judge a franchise installment on its own merits because a future installment may well fix the flaws a couple years down the line?"[131] McMillan continued some of Mendelson's thinking, feeling that Marvel was "in an awkward place with Civil War" regarding superhero destruction moving forward. He wondered how superhero oversight would "actually prevent the kind of destruction that it's meant to stop...unless the bad guys all agree to play by the new rules" as well. "Worse still...the destruction caused by superhero fights [should now be] foremost in viewers' heads...the audience won't be able to enjoy the sight of the Hulk smashing a random minion through a wall without thinking of the property damage and/or whoever was standing on the other side of that wall. After Civil War, can Marvel go back to pretending that everyone is okay after any large scale event ever again?"[132]
In September 2015, Mark Ruffalo, who plays Bruce Banner / Hulk in the MCU films, stated that his character was originally in the Civil War script, but due to the end of Age of Ultron was removed, as Marvel did not "want to reveal where [he is] and why" in this film.[139] Markus added that the character was not included in the film because, in addition to not appearing in the "Civil War" comics, as soon as the Hulk joined a side, the fight would be quickly over, saying, "You’ve got to kind of choose your roster [of characters] depending on what kind of fight you want to have."[59] He later explained that he contemplated having the Hulk appear at the very end of the film, but decided against it, feeling that he was overstuffing the film with characters, adding, "[The Hulk] has clearly gone somewhere at the end of [Age of] Ultron, and that's a story. Don't blow it off and put it in a little tiny chunk just to put in a little extra filigree on our movie."[140] That November, Joe Russo stated that the theme of the film was betrayal, calling it "extremely emotional. [The film] hinges on that emotion, and on a very personal level we didn’t want [it] to become about politics and people arguing about platitudes. The third act is built around a very personal moment between [Captain America and Iron Man]."[12] The Russos spent a great deal of time with Markus, McFeely and Moore to ensure each character's emotional arc tracked through the entire film correctly, though realized that at some point "you have to sacrifice logic for expediency".[77]
Speaking about the post-production process in January 2016, the Russo brothers said, "This has been the easiest post process we’ve ever had on a film. We’re very happy with how the movie was. Everyone is very happy with where the movie was. For us, the tricky thing is the effects because it’s a very complicated movie and there are some really big sequences in the film. The effects are on a much larger scale than the work we did on Winter Soldier. That’s the part that becomes really difficult because you don’t have a lot of time and everyone has very high standards. So everyone starts killing themselves at this point...we’ll be done with the movie in two and a half months."[98] They also stated that the film would be doing "a few reshoots" in mid-to-late January.[98][141] In February, Freeman's character was revealed to be Everett Ross,[82] and Gwyneth Paltrow was revealed to be reprising her role as Pepper Potts, having joined the film for the January reshoots;[142] however, in April 2016, it was revealed that, despite this, Paltrow does not appear in the film.[143] On March 16, 2016, the Russo stated the film was "about a week and a half away from" completion,[144] with Joe adding that the film would have a post-credits scene, with the possibility for two or three total.[66] The film was completed on April 4, 2016.[145]
Later in April, Alfre Woodard and Jim Rash were revealed to be cast in the film,[86] while Feige explained that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler contributed some dialogue for Black Panther in several scenes during reshoots.[146] At the film's premiere, it was revealed that Marisa Tomei appears in the film as May Parker, Peter Parker's aunt.[85] Visual effects for the film were provided by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).[147]
Henry Jackman, the composer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, will return to score the sequel.[148] Jackman noted that the industrial elements of the track "The Winter Soldier" from the previous film's soundtrack was a good indication of what the soundtrack to Civil War would sound like, though he cautioned it was "just a jumping off point since the Russos are looking for something new — similar with a twist."[149] A soundtrack album is scheduled to be released by Hollywood Records on May 6, 2016.[150]
Release
File:Captain America Civil War Singapore premiere.jpgPremiere of Captain America: Civil War at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Captain America: Civil War premiered at the Dolby Theatre on April 12, 2016,[151] and was screened at CinemaCon 2016 on April 13.[152] The film's Southeast Asia premiere was held on April 21 at the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore,[153] while the European premiere took place at Vue Cinemas in Westfield London on April 26.[154] The film was released internationally starting from April 27 across 37 countries,[131] including the United Kingdom on April 29.[155] The film is scheduled for release in North America on May 6,[94] in 3D and IMAX 3D.[110][156] In September 2014, TNT acquired the cable broadcast rights for Captain America: Civil War to air two years after its theatrical release.[157]
Marketing
An estimated $200 million marketing effort helped promote Captain America: Civil War.[158] In early July 2015, Marvel began a viral marketing campaign for Ant-Man featuring Leslie Bibb, reprising her role from the Iron Man films as journalist Christine Everhart, reporting for a faux news program. In one program, Everhart discusses events leading to Captain America: Civil War.[159] The post-credit scene for Ant-Man featured footage shot by the Russo brothers for Captain America: Civil War,[160][161] showing Wilson and Rogers with Barnes in their custody, and unable to contact Stark because of "the accords"; Wilson mentions that he "know[s] a guy", implying Lang.[162] Feige explained that when the post-credit sequence appears in Civil War it may appear with "different takes...different angles."[160] Stan said the scene was shot in early May 2015, and would appear in the middle of Civil War.[28] The first footage of the film debuted in August 2015 at the D23 Expo.[30] Additional footage was shown in September 2015 at the Asia Pop Comic Convention.[163] The footage shown at the D23 Expo and 2015 Asia Pop Comic Convention received an overwhelmingly positive response from the audiences.[164]
The first trailer for the film debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on November 25, 2015, and within hours became the number one trending topic on Twitter.[165] The trailer was viewed 61 million times in the first 24 hours of release, surpassing the 34 million views of Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2014.[166] Scott Mendelson of Forbes called the trailer a "doozy" and noted that the early debut ahead of the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a "good show" on behalf of Disney as it was "a way to not get lost amid the 8,000 other trailers debuting with Star Wars". Mendelson also noted that based on the trailer's content, the film was being "sold as Captain America 3, as opposed to Avengers 2.5 or Iron Man 4," which could help keep the film's box office expectations in check.[167]
On February 4, 2016, Marvel released their own version of the Facebook "#FriendsDay" video for Captain America. The video mirrors those created by Facebook for users to celebrate the anniversary of Facebook's founding, and features images of Captain America's "friends" the Winter Soldier, Thor, Falcon and Hawkeye along with "a tag that says 'You've done a lot together.'" to highlight moments from previous films. The video concludes with an image of Captain America and Iron Man being torn in half. Jennifer Konerman of The Hollywood Reporter called the video "timely" and its contents "especially relevant considering the storyline" of Civil War.[168] Three days later, a teaser debuted during Super Bowl 50, which received the most social media activity out of all the film trailers released that day.[169][170] Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly said the footage "actually feels a little more like a teaser [than a full trailer], since it shows some new shots, but really doesn’t reveal much more about the story." Additionally, he felt the chanting "unseen voices calling out, 'United...We...Stand' and 'Divided...We...Fall'" had "a football stadium vibe", complimenting it appearing during the Super Bowl.[171] Mendelson added that Marvel did not need to follow the model used for The Winter Soldier during Super Bowl XLVIII of showing a longer trailer after the teaser since Civil War was "frankly [a] higher-profile sequel." Overall, Mendelson felt the spot was "only a little less low-key and small(er)-scale as the trailer that debuted in" November 2015, and sold the "real world" aspect "with character drama and mostly real-world action between would-be superheroes."[172]
Four days later, on Valentine's Day, the Facebook campaign was continued, with Marvel creating a "faux-status update" for Captain America, showing his relationship status had changed to "In a Complicated Relationship with Iron Man".[173] At The Walt Disney Company's annual shareholder meeting in the Auditorium Theatre in March, CEO Bob Iger presented a clip from the film to "generous applause".[174] From March 7 to March 10, Marvel released individual posters for characters in the film,[175] continued its Facebook campaign with two teaser videos showcasing the participants on "Team Cap" and "Team Iron Man", and released a second trailer.[176] The trailer was viewed close to 95 million times within the first 24 hours of release, surpassing the views achieved by the first trailer. In addition, 240,000 social media posts across Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and Facebook, among others, were made related to the trailer, surpassing the 81,000 the Age of Ultron trailer received in 2014.[177] According to internet analytics firm ZEFR, the trailer was viewed over 62 million times from YouTube and Facebook over four days, making it the second most viewed trailer at the time, behind the 64.6 million views for the first Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer.[178] It also became the top trailer in 2016 through March 13, 2016, according to research firm ListenFirst, to receive the most likes, retweets and other engagement on Twitter.[179] The trailer continued to be the top viewed trailer on YouTube and Facebook for three straight weeks according to ZEFR, receiving more than 96 million total views since its release.[180]
Mendelson called the trailer "a textbook case for unnecessary second pitches...Is there anyone out there who watched that first teaser back in December and said 'Hmm, it looks good and all, but I need more evidence'?" He added that he was "a little disappointed by the big Spider-Man reveal,"[131] having previously wondered, after a Spider-Man character poster was not released with the others, if Marvel would have the "courage" to not include the character in any marketing materials before the film's release, letting the "Peter Parker scenes the film has to offer be something that is a surprise for theatrical moviegoers and/or something that drives post-opening weekend buzz".[175] Mendelson's colleague at Forbes Mark Hughes felt differently, noting that the trailer was targeting the general audience rather than just fans by giving "us more explanation [and context] of why a clearly major battle is raging between Captain America and Iron Man",[181] and by including Spider-Man since "there are plenty of surprises in these movies, and since we all already know Spider-Man is in Civil War, refusing to let us see him would frankly be a bit weird and pointless....it’s common for average filmgoers to hear some final bit of information or see some final image and feel compelled, inspired, or otherwise driven to go out to the movies that day. There are any number of factors that can come into play...and the world needed to see [Spider-Man] because it’s the sort of value-added element that can make [a] difference".[182] Graeme McMillan of The Hollywood Reporter felt that the Spider-Man reveal "alone makes the trailer", describing it as feeling "like the comic book character come to life. That awkward, voice-cracking, 'hey everyone' was as humble, playing-it-cool and cocky as he should be."[132]
Also in March, Marvel, in partnership with the National Academy of SciencesScience & Entertainment Exchange, Dolby Laboratories, Broadcom, and Synchrony Bank, announced the "Girls Reforming the Future Challenge", aimed at females aged 15 through 18 in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education) fields, to submit projects they feel can change the world and have far-reaching effects. Five winners will attend the world premiere at the Dolby Theatre, receive a tour of Walt Disney Studios and a $500 saving account from Synchrony Bank, with one grand prize winner receiving an internship at Marvel Studios.[151] On April 10, Evans debuted an exclusive clip of the film during the 2016 MTV Movie Awards.[183] Throughout the month, the Russo brothers and the cast promoted the film in Paris, Beijing, Singapore and Berlin.[184] At the end of the month, Marvel released a viral marketing video featuring Leslie Bibb, reprising her MCU role as journalist Christine Everhart, reporting for a faux news program. In the program, Everhart discusses with "political analyst" Will Adams, portrayed by Al Madrigal, the cost the Avengers bring for saving the world, and if they should have regulation from the government.[185]
On May 2, 2016, Evans, Renner and executives from Marvel rang the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange in honor of the film's theatrical release.[186]
Merchandise
At the 2015 Licensing International Expo, Marvel announced that they would partner with licensees including Hasbro, Lego, Funko, Hot Wheels, Rubies, Mad Engine, C-Life, Jay Franco, Global Brand Group, Kellogg’s, Hallmark and American Greetings to sell merchandise related to the film;[187]Coca-Cola was also a licensee for the film.[188] Paul Gitter, senior VP of licensing for Marvel at Disney Consumer Products said that they will build off the success of licensed products for Avengers: Age of Ultron, including a focus on a celebration of Captain America’s 75th anniversary, female apparel, healthy living and travel, and on marketing newer characters such as War Machine, Falcon, Vision, Black Widow and Black Panther. "The Avengers team is both aspirational and hugely merchandisable, made up of multiple, unique heroes coming together with amazing skills, cool vehicles and a high tech headquarters," said Gitter. "Captain America: Civil War not only gives us new storytelling for our favorite superheroes, but also introduces new ones allowing us to expand product lines for kids and fans."[187]
Marvel Comics released a four-issue comic prelude by writer Will Corona Pilgrim and artist Szymon Kudranski, beginning in December 2015, that adapted the events of Iron Man 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.[189] On February 10, Marvel Comics released another comic prelude, a single-issue infinite comic set between The Winter Soldier and Civil War.[190] Written again by Pilgrim, the comic is told from the perspectives of Barnes, Rumlow, and Rogers, showing how each ends up where they begin Civil War. Art for each character's perspective is provided by Lee Ferguson, Goran Sudžuka, and Guillermo Mogorron, respectively.[191]
Reception
Box office
North America
Projections for its opening weekend in the United States and Canada are being continously revised upwards, starting from $175 million to as high as $200 million or more.[192][193][194][195] Two weeks ahead of its release, Fandango announced that the film outsold all previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films at the same point in the sales cycle,[196] and by its opening week, it outsold all previous superhero films in the site to become the biggest advance sales for a superhero flick by representing 90% of the site's weekend ticket sales.[197] It will open above 4,200 theaters of which 3,300 of them will be in 3D, along with 378 IMAX theaters, 480 premium large-format and 161 D-Box locations.[198] It won't be facing any notable competitions since its the sole film that's opening wide in its debut weekend.[198]
Outside North America
Outside North America, Civil War was released a week ahead of its U.S. debut across 37 countries, which is about 63% of its total marketplace, starting from April 27 and was projected to earn anywhere between $180–250 million for the weekend.[199][200] It opened Wednesday, April 27, 2016, in 15 countries, earning $14.9 million.[201] It opened in 15 more countries on April 28 for a two-day total of $38.7 million from 30 countries.[202] On Friday, April 29, it opened in 8 additional territories, bringing its three day total to $84 million from 38 countries, opening at No. 1 in all markets.[202] Through Sunday, May 1, it had a five-day opening weekend total of $200.4 million from 37 countries, placing at No. 1 in all markets, save for Japan, as well as the international charts and dethroning the studio's own The Jungle Book. IMAX generated $9.6 million from 205 theaters.[203] It will next open in about 18 territories next weekend, including Italy, China, Russia, Argentina and India.[204]
It set the biggest opening day record in Mexico ($7.3 million), breaking Avengers: Age of Ultron's record, the second biggest in Brazil, ($2.7 million), behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the biggest superhero opening day in Netherlands,[202] the biggest opening day of 2016 in France ($2.4 million),[201] and the third biggest opening day of all time in Korea ($4.3 million), the Philippines ($1.5 million), Hong Kong ($1.1 million), Chile and Central America.[201][202] Elsewhere, its biggest opening days were recorded in the United Kingdom and Ireland ($7 million), Japan ($2.8 million) and Australia ($2.3 million).[201][202] It set all-time opening weekend records in Brazil ($12.9 million), breaking Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's record set a month prior, Mexico ($20.4 million) and the Philippines ($7.7 million), both breaking Age of Ultron's record in Hong Kong ($6.9 million) and Thailand ($6.3 million), it delivered the second-biggest opening weekend, both behind Age of Ultron.[203] Moreover, South Korea ($28.7 million), the UK ($20.5 million), Australia ($10.6 million), France ($10.1 million), Taiwan ($9.4 million), Germany ($8.1 million), and Japan ($7 million) brought in the openings for the film.[203] In South Korea, it opened across an unprecedented 1,989 screens and went on to earn $28.7 million from 3.93 million admissions over five days and accounted for 91% of the total weekend box office revenue. This made it the biggest non-Korean opening (behind The Admiral: Roaring Currents) and the biggest Marvel opening in history.[205] Its $8.1 million four-day opening in Germany alone surpassed the entire German run of Captain America: First Avenger.[206] Japan was one of the few markets that didn't open at No. 1 by debuting at third spot with a Saturday and Sunday take of $4.2 million ($7.1 million including Friday's gross) from 323,000 admissions at 625 screens. Nevertheless, the film benefited from the Golden Week holidays.[207][208]
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating based on 128 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Captain America: Civil War begins the next wave of Marvel movies with an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes."[209]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 77 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[210]
Justin Chang of Variety called it "the most mature and substantive picture to have yet emerged from the Marvel Cinematic Universe."[211] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter said, "Call it 'civil war' or call it brand extension; call it a 'cinematic universe' or a corporate behemoth - the latest Marvel extravaganza furthers the studio's cross-pollination of action franchises in a way that's sure to satisfy devotees."[79] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote, "This is the cinematic superhero showdown you've dreamt of since childhood, precisely because that's everything - and all - it wants to be."[212] Catherine Shoard of The Guardian called it, "a huge aspartame rush of a film: a giant irresistible snack, not nutritious, but very tasty.[213] Lindsey Bahr of the Associated Press said that "Marvel makes it funny, and that charm and care is what has and will keep audiences coming back over and over again."[214]
Conversely, Stephen Whitty of the New York Daily News said, "Although it's called Captain America: Civil War, the latest Marvel movie is actually a supersized Avengers picture -- overstuffed to bursting. And sometimes during its two and a half hour running time, it just goes bust."[215]
Future
According to Feige, Civil War is the conclusion of the Captain America trilogy that began with The First Avenger.[216] While it is the final standalone Captain America film in Evans' contract with Marvel Studios,[217] Evans stated in September 2015 that he was open to extending his contract past the two-part Avengers: Infinity War, the final films on his contract at the time.[218]
^"Captain America: Civil War". ScreenSlam. Retrieved May 2, 2016. I think he's kinda torn, where Rhodey is often in this position, where he's trying to follow chain of command and do what his sworn appointed duty has dictated, and also to do something a bit outside of the lines with the Avengers.
^Puthenpurakal, John (August 3, 2015). "Daniel Brühl, Chris Evans und Mark Ruffalo: Berliner Party-Nächte sind lang / Berlin Party Nights are Long". Bild (in German). Archived from the original on August 3, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2015. ...die US-Stars in das Szene-Hotel Soho House zurück, wo sie für die Zeit der Filmarbeiten untergebracht worden sind. / ...the US stars returned to the scene-hotel Soho House, where they have been housed for the duration of filming.((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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