Fans of the comics know that one of the most popular storylines in the Marvel universe is the Civil War storyline. Aside from the comics, it was also the plot for one of the Marvel Alliance video games. For those that don’t know, the idea is that the government passes the Superhero Registration Act that requires anyone with superhero powers to register with the government. Steve Rodgers (Captain America) is opposed to the act because of the obvious civil rights violations, while Tony Stark (Iron Man) is for the act, thinking it in the best interest of civilians. The two butt heads and Cap eventually goes on the run when the government comes after everyone that hasn’t registered. Oh, and virtually every superhero in the Marvel universe is involved at some point. So what does this mean for the Marvel cinematic universe? It means we now have an idea as to where they’re going to take Phase 3.
According to Variety, Robert Downey Jr. has signed on to star opposite Chris Evans in CAPTAIN AMERICA 3. The trade goes into details about some of the behind the scenes drama, but the gist is that Robert Downey Jr. actually wanted to be a bigger part in future Marvel movies (and thus, make more money) while one of the executives at Marvel wanted him to have a small part. The two sides feuded, which is probably why until recently, Downey had downplayed his role in future Marvel movies, but eventually they came to an agreement and it looks like the ink on the deal is dry. And for his effort, Downey will haul in about $40 million with bonuses if the film outgrosses CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER.
So what does all of this mean for Marvel? It means Robert Downey Jr. will be around for a while, but IRON MAN 4 doesn’t seem likely in the near future. If Cap 3 comes out in 2016 and that’s when they kick off the Civil War storyline, then they would have to wrap that up in THE AVENGERS 3, and then they could possibly do IRON MAN 4 and have Tony regroup and join the team again. This storyline also opens up the door for all kinds of superhero introductions and set ups and could be a way for Marvel to introduce Spider-Man. Sony still owns the rights, but rumors have been swirling that Spidey might be making the jump to the Marvel universe. But that’s speculation at this point and we have a long way to go before all of this shakes out. In the meantime, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON hits theaters on May 1st, 2015 and CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 will follow on May 6th, 2016.