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Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), and the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay by the writing team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America alongside an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Marisa Tomei, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, Martin Freeman, William Hurt, and Daniel Brühl. In Captain America: Civil War, disagreement over international oversight of the Avengers fractures the team into two opposing factions—one led by Steve Rogers and the other by Tony Stark (Downey).

Captain America: Civil War

Kevin Feige

Trent Opaloch

Henry Jackman

Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures

  • April 12, 2016 (2016-04-12) (Dolby Theatre)
  • May 6, 2016 (2016-05-06) (United States)

147 minutes[1][2]

United States

English

$250 million[3][4][5]

$1.153 billion[4]

Development of Civil War began in late 2013 when Markus and McFeely began writing the screenplay, which borrows concepts from the 2006 comic book storyline "Civil War" while also focusing on story and character elements from the previous Captain America films to conclude the trilogy. Following positive reactions to The Winter Soldier, the Russo brothers were brought back to direct in early 2014. The film's title and premise were revealed in October 2014, along with Downey's involvement as Stark; additional cast members joined in the following months. Principal photography began in April 2015 at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County, Georgia, and continued in the Metro Atlanta area before concluding in Germany in August 2015, with the film being the first to use IMAX's digital 2D cameras (for the film's central airport fight sequence). Visual effects were provided by nearly 20 different studios.


Captain America: Civil War held its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on April 12, 2016, and was released in the United States on May 6, as the first film in Phase Three of the MCU. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2016, and received positive reviews from critics, with praise for the performances (particularly Evans and Downey), action sequences, and themes. A fourth film, Captain America: Brave New World, is set for release in February 2025, which is a continuation of Marvel Studios' Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), following Mackie's Sam Wilson as Captain America.

Plot

In 1991, the brainwashed super-soldier James "Bucky" Barnes is dispatched from a Hydra base in Siberia to intercept an automobile carrying a case of super-soldier serum. In the present day, approximately one year after Ultron is defeated by the Avengers in the nation of Sokovia,[a] Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, and Wanda Maximoff stop Brock Rumlow from stealing a biological weapon from a lab in Lagos. Rumlow blows himself up, attempting to kill Rogers. Maximoff telekinetically diverts the explosion, accidentally destroying a nearby building and killing several Wakandan humanitarian workers in the process.


Thaddeus Ross, the U.S. Secretary of State, informs the Avengers that the United Nations (UN) is preparing to pass the Sokovia Accords, which will establish a UN panel to oversee and control the team. The Avengers are divided: Tony Stark supports oversight because of his role in Ultron's creation and Sokovia's devastation, while Rogers has more faith in his own judgment than that of politicians. Meanwhile, Helmut Zemo tracks down and kills Barnes' old Hydra handler, stealing a book containing the trigger words that activate Barnes' brainwashing. At a UN conference in Vienna where the Accords are to be ratified, a bomb kills King T'Chaka of Wakanda. Security footage indicates the bomber is Barnes, whom T'Chaka's son, T'Challa, vows to kill. Informed by Sharon Carter of Barnes' whereabouts and the authorities' intentions to kill him, Rogers decides to try to bring in Barnes—his childhood friend and war comrade—himself. Rogers and Wilson track Barnes to Bucharest and attempt to protect him from T'Challa and the authorities, but all four, including T'Challa, are apprehended by the Bucharest police and James Rhodes.


Impersonating a psychiatrist sent to interview Barnes, Zemo recites the words to activate Barnes's brainwashing. He questions Barnes, then sends him on a rampage to cover his own escape. Rogers stops Barnes and sneaks him away. When Barnes regains his senses, he explains that Zemo is the real Vienna bomber and wanted the location of the Siberian Hydra base, where other brainwashed "Winter Soldiers" are kept in cryogenic stasis. Unwilling to wait for authorization to apprehend Zemo, Rogers and Wilson go rogue, and recruit Maximoff, Clint Barton, and Scott Lang to their cause. With Ross's permission, Stark assembles a team composed of Romanoff, T'Challa, Rhodes, Vision, and Peter Parker to capture the renegades. Stark's team intercepts Rogers' group at Leipzig/Halle Airport, where they fight until Romanoff allows Rogers and Barnes to escape. As Rogers and Barnes are escaping, Rhodes is inadvertently shot down by Vision, and becomes partially paralyzed. The rest of Rogers' team is captured and detained at the Raft prison, and Romanoff goes into exile.


Stark discovers evidence that Barnes was framed by Zemo and convinces Wilson to give him Rogers' destination. Without informing Ross, Stark goes to the Siberian Hydra facility and strikes a truce with Rogers and Barnes, unaware that they were secretly followed by T'Challa. They find that the other super-soldiers have been killed by Zemo, who then shows them footage that reveals that the automobile Barnes had intercepted in 1991 contained Stark's parents, whom Barnes subsequently killed. Enraged that Rogers kept this from him, Stark turns on them both, leading to an intense fight, in which Stark destroys Barnes' robotic arm, and Rogers disables Stark's armor. Rogers departs with Barnes, leaving his shield behind. Satisfied that he has avenged his family's deaths in Sokovia from the Avengers' actions by successfully fracturing them, Zemo attempts suicide, but he is stopped by T'Challa and taken to the authorities.


In the aftermath, Stark provides Rhodes with exoskeletal leg braces that allow him to walk again, while Rogers breaks his allies out of the Raft. In a mid-credits scene, Barnes, granted asylum in Wakanda, chooses to return to cryogenic sleep until a cure for his brainwashing is found. In a post-credits scene, Parker explores the features of the web shooters built for him by Stark.

as Steve Rogers / Captain America:
The leader of a faction of Avengers against regulation;[7][8] a World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality and frozen in suspended animation, before waking up in the modern world.[9][10] Director Anthony Russo described Captain America's character arc in the film as taking "him from the most ra-ra company man" to someone who is "a somewhat willing propagandist" to "an insurgent" at the end of the film.[11] Unlike the comics' Civil War, the film was never going to kill Rogers, as the directors thought that was "an easy ending ... The more difficult and more interesting place to leave a family fight is: can these important relationships ever be repaired? Is this family broken permanently?"[12] Evans' training regimen to get in shape for the role included weight lifting, which consisted of "the classic bodyweight and bodybuilding stuff", gymnastics and plyometrics, while staying away from cardio-based exercises, along with a high-protein diet.[13] His 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.[14]

Chris Evans

as Tony Stark / Iron Man:
The leader of a faction of Avengers in support of regulation;[7][8] a self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with electromechanical suits of armor of his own invention.[15][16] Anthony Russo said 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 guilt complex which "drives him to make very specific decisions," calling his emotional arc "very complicated".[11] 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".[17] Marvel initially wanted Downey's part to be smaller, but "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 outperformed The Winter Soldier, as Marvel would attribute that success to Downey's presence.[18]

Robert Downey Jr.

as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow:
An Avenger allied with Stark;[7][8] formerly a highly trained S.H.I.E.L.D. spy.[19] 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."[11] Johansson added that 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" in order for her to "have a better perspective of what's really going on."[20] 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."[21] 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.[22] 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."[11]

Scarlett Johansson

as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier:
A physically enhanced brainwashed assassin allied with Rogers;[7][8] his best friend who reemerged after being thought to be killed in action during World War II.[23][24][25] This portrayal is an amalgam of Barnes and the Winter Soldier, with Stan saying, "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."[26] Because of this, the character has more lines in the film than in Winter Soldier.[27]

Sebastian Stan

as Sam Wilson / Falcon:
An Avenger allied with Rogers;[7][8] a former pararescueman trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack.[28] Wilson is aided by a robotic drone named Redwing.[29] 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,"[30] adding, "He respects and admires Cap because Cap earned his rank as opposed to sitting in an office and just delegating orders."[31] 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.[11]

Anthony Mackie

as James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine:
A close personal friend of Tony Stark's and an Avenger allied with Stark;[7][8] an officer in the U.S. Air Force who operates the War Machine armor.[32] Cheadle called Rhodes' appearance in the film a "bit more intense and pivotal" compared to his previous appearances.[33]

Don Cheadle

as Clint Barton / Hawkeye:
A master archer allied with Rogers;[7][8] a retired Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.[14][34] 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,"[31] along with feeling an obligation to side with Wanda Maximoff, since her brother, Pietro Maximoff, sacrificed himself to save Barton in Avengers: Age of Ultron.[35] 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".[36]

Jeremy Renner

as T'Challa / Black Panther:
The prince of the African nation of Wakanda allied with Stark[7][8][37][38][39] who gains enhanced strength by ingesting the Heart-Shaped Herb.[40] Producer Kevin Feige explained that the character was included "because we needed a third party. We needed fresh eyes who wasn't embedded with the Avengers and who has a very different point of view than either Tony or Steve." T'Challa is in the "beginning phases of taking on" the Black Panther mantle,[41] and appears in more than a cameo, with a full arc and character journey with "his own conflict and his own people that he's looking out for."[42] Boseman did not audition for the role, instead having a "discussion about what [Marvel] wanted to do and how I saw it and what I wanted to do."[43] T'Challa is torn between needing to live up to traditions and the legacy of his father and Wakanda, and how things need to happen in the present.[42] Boseman developed the Wakandan accent himself, and used it during the entire production "whether he was on camera or not",[12] while the Wakandan language was based on the Xhosa language, which Boseman was taught by John Kani (who plays T'Challa's father T'Chaka).[44] The Black Panther costume is a combination of a practical costume and visual effects, featuring a vibranium mesh weave similar to chainmail.[11] Costume designer Judianna Makovsky called the Black Panther costume "difficult" since "you needed sort of a feline body, but it's hard and practical at the same time. You needed a feeling of some sort of ethnicity in there, but of a world [Wakanda] we weren't really creating yet, so you didn't want to go too far and say too much about that world." Additionally, Makovsky felt creating T'Challa's royal look was "a bit of a challenge", avoiding African robes after learning actual African royalty are generally "educated in the West [and] get dressed in Savile Row."[45] Boseman signed a five-picture deal with Marvel.[46]

Chadwick Boseman

as Vision:
An android and Avenger allied with Stark;[7][8] created using the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S., Ultron, and the Mind Stone.[32] Because the Vision was only created in the previous film, Age of Ultron, Bettany said, "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?"[47] 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."[48] This is exhibited in the connection Vision begins to form with Wanda Maximoff, with Bettany commenting, "They both have these new burgeoning powers that they don't understand ... I think he's worried that they're both dangerous. So he feels this real connection with her."[49] As the Vision has the ability to create a projected disguise, he chooses to dress similarly to Howard Stark's attache, Edwin Jarvis.[14]

Paul Bettany

as Wanda Maximoff:
An Avenger allied with Rogers;[8][50] she can engage in hypnosis and telekinesis.[51] 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."[52] As such, Maximoff's costume was "relatively casual" and "more clothes-based than superhero-based" according to Makovsky, since the Russos believed Maximoff was not a full-fledged Avenger yet.[53] 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."[54]

Elizabeth Olsen

as Scott Lang / Ant-Man:
A former petty criminal allied with Rogers;[7][8] he acquired a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale while also increasing in strength.[32][55][56] Rudd's suit "is streamlined and more high-tech" than the one seen in Ant-Man.[14] Ant-Man director Peyton Reed 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 [Ant-Man] 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 ... It's important because there's this continuity that has to happen in this universe."[57] On the decision to have Lang grow in size to become Giant-Man in the airport battle, Feige said, "It was just a great idea to turn the tide of the battle in a huge, shocking, unexpected way. We have a lot of ideas for [Ant-Man and the Wasp], none of which are contingent upon revealing Giant-Man, so we thought this would be the fun, unbelievable unexpected way to do that."[58] Anthony Russo added that the transformation was the continuation of Lang's character arc from Ant-Man, saying "He's just really impressed with Captain America, he just wants to deliver and he figures out a way to deliver where he might actually tear himself in half but he's willing to do it and it works."[59]

Paul Rudd

as Sharon Carter:
A former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Peggy Carter's niece who now works for the CIA and supports Rogers.[7][8][60][61] VanCamp stated that her character sides with Rogers because they both have "similar moral compasses".[62] 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."[22] 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."[62]

Emily VanCamp

as May Parker: Peter Parker's aunt.[63]

Marisa Tomei

as Peter Parker / Spider-Man:
A teenager allied with Stark;[64] he received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider.[65][66][67][68] 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."[69] 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.[64][70] 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.[71] 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.[72] Holland chose not to read the whole Civil War script in order to avoid potentially leaking plot information publicly.[73] He was initially signed on for at least three films, not including his Civil War appearance.[74] Holland later expanded, saying he was signed for "three Spider-Man movies and three solo movies".[75]

Tom Holland

as Brock Rumlow / Crossbones:
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."[76] 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."[77] Grillo stated that Rumlow's main objective in the film is to seek revenge—"Whatever Rumlow was feeling as far as being torn between which side he should be on, which I think he was, is gone now."[78]

Frank Grillo

as Everett K. Ross:
A member of the CIA's Joint Counter Terrorism Center and a character associated with Black Panther in the comics.[79][80][81] 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".[82] Feige added that Ross would appear briefly in the film, with the intent being to expand on the character's role in future films;[65] Freeman signed a three-film contract, for this film, Black Panther (2018), and its sequel (2022).[83]

Martin Freeman

as Thaddeus Ross:
The United States Secretary of State and a former U.S. Army general.[29][32] Hurt, on returning to the MCU after appearing in The Incredible Hulk, said, "I don't think it's a reprise, I think it's a new iteration completely,"[84] adding, "what [the writers have] done is they've taken a character ... and made a new version... a more modernized style."[85] 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".[11]

William Hurt

as Helmut Zemo:[28][86]
A Sokovian colonel-turned-terrorist who is obsessed with defeating the Avengers. Zemo, who goes by multiple names in the film,[65] 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."[87] 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",[65] while Anthony Russo called him "an everyman. His approach was: I've seen these guys fight enough to know I can't win. But what I can do is figure out ways to undermine them. He's emotionally driven and he finds a weak spot."[12] 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."[88] Brühl also stated that Zemo may re-appear in future MCU films,[87] with Moore adding that, while Zemo has a purpose in this film, it is more to set up a future film.[89]

Daniel Brühl

Additionally, John Slattery and Kerry Condon reprise their roles as Howard Stark and the voice of F.R.I.D.A.Y. from previous MCU films.[90][91] John Kani appears as T'Chaka, father of T'Challa and ruler of Wakanda;[90] Hope Davis appears as Maria Stark, Tony Stark's mother;[92] Gene Farber appears as Vasily Karpov, the Hydra official who oversaw the Winter Soldier program;[93] and Florence Kasumba portrays Ayo, a member of T'Challa's Dora Milaje.[94] Alfre Woodard, who portrays Mariah Dillard in the MCU TV series Luke Cage, briefly 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.[95] Jim Rash appears as a faculty member at MIT,[96][97] while Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance as a FedEx deliveryman,[97][98] and co-director Joe Russo cameos as Theo Broussard, a psychiatrist murdered by Zemo.[93][99] Damion Poitier, who appeared as Thanos in The Avengers before Josh Brolin was cast in that role for subsequent films, appears as one of Rumlow's mercenaries.[93]

Marketing

Promotion

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 the faux news program, WHIH Newsfront. In one program, Everhart discusses events leading to Captain America: Civil War.[177] The post-credits scene for Ant-Man featured footage shot by the Russo brothers for Captain America: Civil War,[178][179] 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.[180] Feige explained that when the post-credit sequence appears in Civil War it may appear with "different takes...different angles."[178] Stan said the scene was shot in early May 2015, and would appear in the middle of Civil War.[27] The first footage of the film debuted in August 2015 at the D23 Expo.[29] Additional footage was shown in September 2015 at the Asia Pop Comic Convention.[181] The footage shown at the D23 Expo and 2015 Asia Pop Comic Convention received an overwhelmingly positive response from the audiences.[182]


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.[183] The trailer was viewed 61 million times in the first 24 hours of release, surpassing the 34 million views of Avengers: Age of Ultron's in 2014.[184] 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.[185]


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. 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.[186] 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.[187][188] 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.[189] 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."[190]


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".[191] 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".[192] From March 7 to 10, Marvel released individual posters for characters in the film,[193] continued its Facebook campaign with two teaser videos showcasing the participants on "Team Cap" and "Team Iron Man", and released a second trailer.[194] 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.[195] 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.[196] It also became the top trailer in 2016 through March 13, 2016, according to research firm ListenFirst, for receiving the most likes, retweets and other engagement on Twitter.[197] 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.[198]


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,"[199] 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".[193] 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",[200] 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".[200] 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."[201]


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?"[199] 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?"[201]


Also in March, Marvel, in partnership with the National Academy of Sciences Science & 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 would attend the world premiere at the Dolby Theatre, and 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.[202] On April 10, Evans debuted an exclusive clip of the film during the 2016 MTV Movie Awards.[203] Throughout the month, the Russo brothers and the cast promoted the film in Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Berlin and London.[204] At the end of the month, Marvel released additional viral marketing videos of WHIH Newsfront, featuring Bibb once again reprising her role as Everhart. 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.[205] Additional Newsfront segments saw William Sadler reprise his role as President Matthew Ellis, including an "exclusive" interview and his reaction to the incident involving the Avengers in Lagos.[206][207] 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.[208]

Merchandise

At the 2015 Licensing International Expo, Disney Consumer Products 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;[209] Coca-Cola,[210] Google, Samsung, Wrigley, Harley Davidson, Audi, Synchrony Financial, Pringles, Keebler, Pizza Hut, Pop Secret, Mouser Electronics, and Vivo, among other brands, were also licensees for the film.[211] 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."[209] As part of the $200 million marketing effort for the film, Harley Davidson created two customized motorcycles for the film, Audi debuted a commercial directed by the Russos featuring unreleased scenes from the film, while Pizza Hut debuted collectible boxes and Kellogg's, Pringles, and Keebler products featured virtual reality experiences. The lead-up to the film's release culminated in a massive online vote across Google, YouTube, and Twitter for either Team Captain America or Team Iron Man.[211]


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.[212] On February 10, Marvel Comics released another comic prelude, a single-issue infinite comic set between The Winter Soldier and Civil War.[213] Written again by Pilgrim, the comic is told from the perspectives of Barnes, Rumlow, and Rogers, showing how each ended up where they begin Civil War. Art for each character's perspective is provided by Lee Ferguson, Goran Sudžuka, and Guillermo Mogorron, respectively.[214]

Release

Theatrical

Captain America: Civil War premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on April 12, 2016,[202] and was screened at CinemaCon 2016 on April 13.[215] The film's Southeast Asia premiere was held on April 21 at the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore,[216] while the European premiere took place at Vue Cinemas in Westfield London on April 26.[217] The film was released internationally starting from April 27,[199] releasing in 61 countries its first weekend,[218] including the United Kingdom on April 29.[219] The North America release on May 6,[107] took place in over 4,200 theaters, of which 3,300 were in 3D, along with 378 IMAX theaters, 480 premium large-format, and 161 D-Box locations.[220] Internationally, the film opened in 955 IMAX theaters,[221] while South Korea saw Civil War open in an "unprecedented" 1,989 theaters.[222] Captain America: Civil War was the first film released in Phase Three of the MCU.[100] In September 2014, TNT acquired the cable broadcast rights for Captain America: Civil War to air two years after its theatrical release.[223]

Home media

Captain America: Civil War was released on digital download by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on September 2, 2016, and on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and DVD on September 13, 2016. The digital and Blu-ray releases include behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, deleted scenes, a blooper reel, and an exclusive preview of Doctor Strange.[224] The digital release comes with an exclusive "mockumentary" short film, Team Thor, directed by Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, which was originally screened at San Diego Comic-Con 2016 and showed what Thor was doing during the events of Civil War.[225][226] Captain America: Civil War was released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on April 23, 2019.[227] The IMAX Enhanced version of the film was made available on Disney+ beginning on November 12, 2021.[228]

Reception

Box office

Captain America: Civil War grossed $408.1 million in the U.S. and Canada and $745.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $1.153 billion.[4] By May 10, 2016, the film had grossed $737.8 million, surpassing the entire theatrical gross of its predecessor, Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($714.4 million).[229] It became the highest-grossing film of 2016,[230][231] the fourth-highest-grossing superhero film of all time,[232] and the third-highest-grossing film in the U.S. and Canada of 2016, behind Rogue One and Finding Dory.[233] Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $193.4 million, accounting for production budgets, marketing, talent participations, and other costs; box office grosses and home media revenues placed it eighth on their list of 2016's "Most Valuable Blockbusters".[3]

Future

Evans' potential return

According to Feige, Civil War is the conclusion of the Captain America trilogy that began with The First Avenger.[274] While it is the final standalone Captain America film in Evans' contract with Marvel Studios,[275] Evans said in September 2015 that he was open to extending his contract past Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the final films on his contract at the time.[276] In November 2018, Joe Russo said that Evans was "not done yet" with Captain America after Endgame.[277] In November 2019, when asked if he would reprise the role of Captain America, Evans responded, "You never say never. I love the character. I don't know," and added, "It's not a hard no, but it's not an eager yes either."[278] In January 2021, Evans was reportedly close to signing a deal to reprise the role of Captain America in at least one future project. Evans' involvement was said to be similar to how Downey had supporting roles in other film franchises, such as Civil War, after concluding the Iron Man film series with Iron Man 3 (2013).[279] Evans soon said the report was "news to [him]".[280] His potential return would be in a project separate from the fourth Captain America film in development.[281]

Official website

at IMDb

Captain America: Civil War

with cast / crew credits and additional information. Archived from the original on October 30, 2016.

Official press kit