Everything you need to know about the Captain America: Civil War characters!
After only eight years, the superhero community of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to tear itself apart in Captain America: Civil War. The Avengers will be split between Captain America and Iron Man, and there’s only one side that’s going to come out on top in this battle.
From what we know about the story, Civil War picks up roughly one year after Avengers: Age of Ultron, with Cap leading the Avengers without founding members Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, or Hulk. Faced with intense pressure to submit the Avengers to the authority of the government, Cap and his supporters go underground while Tony Stark steps up to accept the new status quo and lead a team to take down Cap and his followers.
The storyline is loosely based on the Civil War crossover that Marvel published a decade ago, and this movie has enough superheroes that it’s been jokingly called Avengers 2.5. But directors Joe and Anthony Russo have insisted that Cap’s story will remain at the forefront.
Regardless, this movie is overflowing with characters. So before Captain America: Civil War hits theaters on May 6, ComingSoon.net has put together a guide to every major character that is known to be appearing in the film. But if Marvel Studios lives up to its reputation for secrecy, then there could still be some surprises along the way.
Civil War Characters Guide: Captain America
Chris Evans is back for his fifth full movie as Captain America.Unlike his comic book counterpart, Evans’ Cap has only been in the present for a few years and he doesn’t have the same history with Iron Man and the other heroes. However, Cap is the moral paragon even in this universe. So, when he stands up to the forces who want to control the Avengers, he won’t be alone.
Civil War Characters Guide: Iron Man
Apparently the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron had a bigger effect on Tony Stark than we initially thought. In Robert Downey Jr.’s sixth full appearance as Iron Man, the consummate rebel is willing to let the government take over the big decisions about how to deploy the Avengers. Judging from the trailers, Tony also appears to feel betrayed by Cap’s course of action. A showdown between Cap and Iron Man is inevitable at this point, but there’s no guarantee that they will both walk away from this fight.
Civil War Characters Guide: The Winter Soldier
At the end of the second Captain America movie, Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier appeared to remember that he was once Bucky Barnes, Cap’s best friend. And as we’ve seen in Ant-Man, the Winter Soldier has been found. In fact, it may be Bucky’s presence on Cap’s team that leads to more intense bad feelings from Iron Man’s team.
Civil War Characters Guide: Black Widow
Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow co-starred in the second movies for both Iron Man and Captain America, but Natasha Romanoff has always seemed to be closer to Cap than Tony. Perhaps that’s why it seems surprising that Black Widow is going with Team Iron Man. However, Black Widow’s loyalties aren’t always clear. And this time, Natasha seems to be truly conflicted by her actions.
Civil War Characters Guide: Falcon
During Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson formed a friendship and a partnership with Cap even before he became Falcon, and a member of the Avengers in the Age of Ultron. Naturally, Falcon is gonna side with Cap in this conflict and further embrace his superhero identity with the introduction of Redwing… which will be a drone instead of an actual falcon in this incarnation.
Civil War Characters Guide: War Machine
James Rhodes goes so far back with Tony Stark that Don Cheadle wasn’t even playing Rhodey when he first appeared in the MCU! But Cheadle’s War Machine is now firmly established as an Avenger as of Age of Ultron. Given Rhodey’s military background, he’d probably welcome government control of the Avengers.
Some of the early concept art has hinted that War Machine and Falcon will have one of the key fight sequences in Civil War.
Civil War Characters Guide: Agent 13
Emily VanCamp was barely in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Agent 13. In fact, she never even got to tell Cap that she’s Sharon Carter. In the Marvel Universe, Sharon Carter was Peggy Carter’s younger sister, and then later retconned into being Peggy’s niece. It’s unclear what the relationship between the two Agent Carters will be in the MCU, but Cap will apparently get over the way that Agent 13 spied on him for Nick Fury by pretending to be one of Cap’s neighbors.
When she was last seen, Agent 13 was interviewing for a position with the CIA. But in this film, she’s openly siding with Cap’s team.
Civil War Characters Guide: Black Panther
Chadwick Boseman is making his MCU debut as T’Challa in Civil War before going off to headline his own Black Panther movie. Civil War will reportedly be one of Black Panther’s earliest adventures in costume, and he appears to have a grudge against the Winter Soldier. If this Black Panther is anything like his comic book counterpart, then T’Challa may have his own agenda that doesn’t neatly fit into either Iron Man or Captain America’s plans.
Civil War Characters Guide: Hawkeye
Despite appearing to retire from action at the end of Age of Ultron, Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton will answer the call to action from Captain America. But because of that, Hawkeye is now opposed to Black Widow, one of his closest friends.
Civil War Characters Guide: Vision
You’d think that if anyone saw the folly of Cap and Iron Man going to war with each other, then it would be Paul Bettany’s Vision. And yet the android superhero has apparently decided to side with Tony Stark in this conflict. Considering that Vision hasn’t fully created his own identity yet, he could be a wildcard in the final battle.
Civil War Characters Guide: Scarlet Witch
Speaking of wildcards, the Scarlet Witch may be one of the most powerful Avengers whose loyalty isn’t 100% to either Cap or Iron Man. Although her history with Tony Stark’s weapons of war would suggest that she’d go with Cap instead of the man who made weapons that killed her parents.
However, Scarlet Witch’s mental state is also questionable even at the best of times. She’s supposed to be on Team Cap in the movie, but who can say for sure?
Civil War Characters Guide: Spider-Man
Get ready: Underoos is coming! While Tom Holland’s Peter Parker may or may not appreciate Tony Stark’s nickname for his alter-ego, Spider-Man reportedly has a much bigger role in this film than was previously realized.
This movie will be the first time that a live-action Spider-Man has shared the silver screen with other Marvel heroes. But it won’t be the last…
Falcon “knows a guy” who can help Team Cap who isn’t an Avenger. And that guy is Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man! Barely a year after his MCU debut, Paul Rudd is reprising his role for Civil War as a member of Team Cap. He also appears to be quite happy to be among the major league of superheroes. But let’s see how happy Scott Lang is after the events of Civil War.
Civil War Characters Guide: Everett K. Ross
Welcome to the MCU, Martin Freeman! Hope you survive the experience.
But you know, he probably will, because Everett K. Ross is one of Black Panther’s most well known supporting characters. That pretty much means he’s a lock for the Black Panther solo film. While Ross’ comic book counterpart was a true friend to Black Panther and worked for the U.S. State Department, the MCU’s Ross is being depicted a bit more ambiguously as a member of the Joint Counter Terrorism Center.
Whose side is Ross on? We won’t know for sure until the film hits theaters, and maybe not even then!
Civil War Characters Guide: General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross
You may have forgotten that William Hurt was General Ross in The Incredible Hulk movie at the dawn of the MCU. But he’s back now, and Ross is apparently one of the main players who has the future of the Avengers in his hands. While Ross may be aligned with Tony Stark out of necessity, their last onscreen interaction seemed to indicate that they don’t really like each other. Ross is far more likely to be on his own side as he attempts to exert his control over the superhumans that he could never achieve while chasing the Hulk.
Civil War Characters Guide: Crossbones
Frank Grillo’s Brock Rumlow survived the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. in The Winter Soldier, and now he’s taken on his comic book counterpart’s supervillain identity. That’s right, Crossbones is coming, and he’s definitely one of the Avengers’ enemies in this film. And if the Civil War movie plays out like the comic book did, then Crossbones may have an even larger role in the story’s conclusion.
Civil War Characters Guide: Helmut Zemo
As if the Avengers didn’t have enough to worry about while fighting each other, Daniel Brühl’s Helmut Zemo is moving forward with his own plan…and there may not be anyone left to stop him! While Zemo won’t be wearing his famous mask from the comic book, he is essentially the MCU’s version of Baron Zemo. And whatever he has in mind, you can bet that it’s going to be big.
The question now is whether Tony Stark and Cap can come together to defeat Zemo’s agenda or will they fall fighting each other while Zemo stands triumphant?
All answers will come when Captain America: Civil War opens on May 6.
