the MCU's highest-grossing movies with a global box office of $1.1 billion.
Marvel Studios is no doubt looking to replicate, and even sur, that success with Avengers: Doomsday. Thankfully, its status as an Avengers movie sets it in good standing, as even the MCU's colorful cast of superheroes. Nevertheless, I'm struggling to come to with how Avengers: Doomsday may be poised to run roughshod over previously established allegiances.
How The MCU Has Set Up A Second Avengers Civil War
There Is Friction Between The Avengers And The New Avengers
The MCU has been laying the groundwork for a second civil war between its superheroes with its first two MCU movies of 2025. Captain America: Brave New World saw the titular hero embracing his new role but balking at President Thaddeus Ross's request to form a new team of Avengers, fearing the implications of government oversight. In a fortuitous twist of fate for audiences, Sam Wilson warmed to the idea after President Ross himself proved that some threats require an assemblage of Avengers, ultimately discussing the formation of a new team outside the government's purview with Joaquin Torres.
While the dynamic isn't nearly as fraught as the one depicted in Captain America: Civil War, it re-establishes a rivalry between heroes rooted in government oversight.
While it is still unclear who will Captain America and Falcon to form the MCU's newest team of Avengers, Thunderbolts* undercut its formation with the arrival of the New Avengers. In an off-piste move by Marvel Studios, Thunderbolts* revealed that the asterisk was hiding the true identity of the titular team as the New Avengers, a moniker foisted upon them by CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. In being officially formed by de Fontaine, the New Avengers are later confirmed to be the government-backed version of the team.
The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene then revealed that this has caused friction between the New Avengers and Sam Wilson's Avengers. While talking in their new base of operations in the old Avengers Tower, the New Avengers addressed the fact that Sam Wilson has copyrighted the Avengers name and has begun taking legal action against the government-backed newcomers. While the dynamic isn't nearly as fraught as the one depicted in Captain America: Civil War, it re-establishes a rivalry between heroes rooted in government oversight.
Sam & Bucky Will Now Be On Opposite Sides Of An Avengers Civil War
They Originally Fought On The Same Side
This rivalry now pits two characters that once fought on the same side against one another, namely Sam and Bucky. In Captain America: Civil War, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson were the titular superhero's most stalwart allies in his rebellion against the Sokovia Accords and their role in regulating superhero activity. In an ironic twist of fate, Bucky Barnes is now a founding member of a team sanctioned by the government, while Sam Wilson remains independent, further proving his aptitude for carrying the Captain America mantle.
10 Quotes That Prove Sam Wilson & Bucky Barnes Have The Best MCU Friendship
Though they don't always see eye-to-eye, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes have formed a relationship throughout the MCU with some great moments.
It is particularly painful to see this dynamic, however, given the development of Sam and Bucky's relationship in the MCU since Steve Rogers' retirement in Avengers: Endgame. Although there was a certain, playful measure of friction between the two in Captain America: Civil War, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw their friendship flourish, while Captain America: Brave New World featured Bucky in a heartwarming cameo as Sam's friend. Bucky's palpable regret over Sam Wilson's kickback against the New Avengers is hard to stomach and packs an additional sting given Bucky's previous trajectory.
Bucky's Role Is Even Weirder Given His MCU History
Bucky Barnes Has ed The Same Side As Iron Man
Although Sam Wilson was unquestionably willing to follow Steve Rogers' defiant stand against government oversight in Captain America: Civil War, he is arguably still better placed than Bucky Barnes to fall in line. He is, after all, a war veteran and additionally (albeit tentatively) worked alongside the President in the first half of Captain America: Brave New World. In contrast, while Bucky Barnes is also a war veteran, he was the primary target in Captain America: Civil War, and partly what spurred Cap to rally against his fellow heroes.
Bucky Barnes was pardoned for his activity as the Winter Soldier, opening his path to becoming an elected official.
The current state of affairs still feels more personal, however. By accepting a key role in the government-sanctioned side of this rivalry, Bucky Bares is mirroring Iron Man at best and tacitly endorsing his reasoning at worst. Given the heartbreaking personal rift between the two in Captain America: Civil War, with Iron Man learning later on in the movie that Bucky, as the Winter Soldier, killed his parents, the fact that Bucky is stepping into Iron Man's shoes now feels particularly weird, especially as he is such an outlier in his position.
Sam's Avengers Could Still Have One Other Team Cap Member
One Team Cap Member Has been Confirmed For Avengers: Doomsday
Most of those embroiled in the titular cast confirmed to be starring in Avengers: Doomsday, Paul Rudd's Ant-Man is the only one who participated in Captain America: Civil War. In that appearance, Ant-Man was happy to up with Captain America's rebellion, given his respect for Cap and the fact that he is well-versed in undermining legal authority.
Captain America: Civil War Participants' Current Status |
||
|---|---|---|
Team |
MCU Hero |
Current Status |
Team Cap |
Steve Rogers/Captain America |
Retired |
Sam Wilson/Captain America |
Active |
|
Bucky Barnes |
Active |
|
Scott Lang/Ant-Man |
Active |
|
Clint Barton/Hawkeye |
Retired |
|
Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch |
Deceased |
|
Team Iron Man |
Tony Stark/Iron Man |
Deceased |
James Rhodes/War Machine |
Unknown |
|
Vision |
Unknown |
|
Peter Parker/Spider-Man |
Active |
|
Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow |
Deceased |
|
T'Challa/Black Panther |
Deceased |
|
I can see Ant-Man happily ing Sam Wilson's Avengers once more, given their established working relationship, his reverence for the Captain America mantle, and his eagerness to be an Avenger in general. Additionally, while T'Challa tragically ed away, his successor, Letitia Wright's Shuri, would be more likely to up with Cap, despite her brother teaming up with Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War. This is because Wakanda is at odds with the New Avengers' creator, Valentina, let alone the fact that she would be unlikely to fight in the name of another nation.
Two potential candidates could still up with the New Avengers to help balance the scales, however. War Machine has always been allied with American interests, and it is likely that he would continue fighting on the side of the US government. Spider-Man, meanwhile, is far more independent than he was in Captain America: Civil War, though he could feasibly either side. Regardless, neither Don Cheadle nor Tom Holland has yet been announced to star in Avengers: Doomsday.
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Avengers: Doomsday
Cast
Thor
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert Downey Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
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Captain America: Civil War
8/10- Release Date
- May 6, 2016
- Runtime
- 147 minutes
- Director
- Joe Russo
Cast
Steve Rogers / Captain America
Tony Stark / Iron Man
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYCaptain America: Civil War focuses on the aftermath of Age of Ultron as international governments legislate to regulate superhuman activity. This divides the Avengers, forming opposing factions led by Iron Man and Captain America, culminating in a significant conflict between former allies.
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