‘Captain America 3’: THR’s 5 Things to Know About the Planned Civil War Story Arc

Whose Side Are You On?

For the Hollywood Reporter, Abid Rahman writes: The incredible news that Robert Downey Jr. is in talks to bring Iron Man to Captain America 3 has set the Internet on fire and with good reason as the most likely story arc that Marvel will use in this casting scenario is Mark Millar‘s fabled Civil War limited series from 2006-7.

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Nothing has been confirmed at this stage, with no definitive word on Iron Man gracing Cap 3 or that Civil War will be the source material. However, with all the rumors, leaks and drip drip of information coming out of people close to the project, there’s a high likelihood that Marvel will base the basic premise of Cap 3 on Civil War.

[Variety has its own edition of “Marvel’s Civil War: 5 Things You Should Know”. Who started this # of things you should know thing, anyway? Anyway, check it out here]

Marvel Entertainment started off its 75th anniversary celebrations at this year’s New York Comic Con with the announcement of what the company is calling its biggest event yet: Secret Wars.

[Read more Marvel Announces ‘Secret Wars’ Cross-Platform Event for Spring 2015]

So what’s the fuss about Civil War? Well, THR have put together 5 key things that occur in the comic series Civil War that will have heavy ramifications for both Cap 3 as well the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, future Ant-Man and Dr. Strange movies and even planned Avengers sequels several years from now.

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Warning, major Civil War spoilers ahead.

1. Civil War needs more than just Iron Man and Cap – Millar’s Civil War featured a huge universe of Marvel characters who were forced to take sides following the introduction of the Superhero Registration Act, an American government initiative to regulate and control vigilantes who also must reveal their identities. In the comics, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Daredevil, Cable, Nick Fury and Captain America rebel against this government attempt to control superheroes. In favor of the legislation you have, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Black Widow, She-Hulk, Venom, Mr Fantastic and many others.

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The inherent problem with adapting Civil War is that Marvel would need to populate the film with enough superheroes for a ‘war’ to look like a war. Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four are out as the rights to those characters rest with other studios, so Marvel will have to get creative to flesh out the secondary superheroes. Read the rest of this entry »