We’re less than five months away from the launch of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the release of Captain America: Civil War, and co-director Joe Russo has been speaking to Comic Book about the hotly-anticipated movie and where it will pick up from last year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.
“We like to say that the amount of time that has passed in between films is the amount of time that has passed in the movies. So, it’s about that amount time. We find Cap leading the Avengers. He’s tutoring or mentoring Scarlet Witch in the beginning of the movie and bringing her into the fold. We find them on a mission at the start of the film. The effect that Ultron has had on everyone certainly is central to the storytelling of the movie. It’s very strong. We’re dealing with issues of collateral damage, imperialism, what rights do super heroes have to pursue villains across borders. It’s very politically minded. Cap’s dealing with all of that at the beginning.”
SEE ALSO: Behind-the-scenes featurette for Captain America: Civil War
Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.
SEE ALSO: Follow all of our Marvel Cinematic Universe coverage here
Captain America: Civil War is set for release on April 29th 2016 in the UK and May 6th 2016 in the States, with Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) directing a cast that includes Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Falcon), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch), Paul Bettany (The Vision), Don Cheadle (James Rhondes/War Machine), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter) and Frank Grillo (Brock Rumlow/Crossbones) and William Hurt (General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross) alongside new additions Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up) as T’Challa/Black Panther, Daniel Bruhl (Rush) as Baron Zemo, Martin Freeman (Sherlock) and Tom Holland (The Impossible) as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
Originally published January 8, 2016. Updated November 29, 2022.
