CAPTAIN AMERICA Writers Discuss CIVIL WAR, BLACK PANTHER, and More
Yesterday, rumors hit the internet about a ton of spoiler filled details regarding Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and more. If it's true, things are about to get even crazier in the Marvel cinematic universe. While speaking at TCA (via IGN), Captain America franchise screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely talked about Civil War, Black Panther, Agent Carter, and more.
Apparently the idea of introducing the Civil War storyline has been being discussed for awhile. McFeely explained,
“It’s been on and off the table for a while, let’s put it that way. And it’s a challenge to do it and make sure that all the characters that we’ve established, and everyone’s established in the MCU are serviced and sound correct, right? Because there’s a difference between the characters in Civil War, which was written in 2006, 2007. The MCU doesn’t exist [when it was written]. There isn’t a Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans who has helped create the character so we need to make sure that that template gets adjusted and what have you in order to make sure it services these characters and not just sort of rip off their parts and make them look like them."
I think the timing is perfect to bring this storyline to the big screen. McFreely went on to talk about his first initial reaction to reading the Civil War story and why comic book movies are so big right now.
"There’s a depth of myth [to the Civil War storyline]. People asked this earlier at our other panel, why now? Why are comic books so prevalent? Why are these movies doing so well? In some ways, we’ve become a genre that you can do well now given the world of computers and perhaps it’s also just a time in the sun. You went to the movies in the 50’s and 60’s you went to a western. So at this point, you’re going to a superhero movie. It’s taking over that same black hat, white hat myth-making surface. I don’t have a much smarter answer than that."
This film will mark the third time that these guys have written a Captain America script for Marvel, and the second time Anthony and Joe Russo will be back to direct. McFeely explained why the studio wants to keep working with them, saying,
"Every Captain America movie has a genre and Civil War is the musical! No, I think part of the reason for bringing back us and bringing back the [Russo] brothers is because Marvel is very pleased with Winter Soldier aesthetically. I think it’s a really adult movie. It’s very well made and that’s partly the texture of the movie. You can argue it’s the most realistic of the Marvel movies, whatever that is to you. I think it’s fair to say that a Russo brothers movie will stay in that vein."
The writers were also asked about how Peggy Carter might fit into Civil War, due to her relationship with Steve Rogers and Tony’s father Howard Stark, and this is what McFreely said:
“As we have not started shooting, and I’m on my fourth draft of many, that question [of who Peggy was to Tony Stark] has been in and out all over the place so who knows. So many things can shake out but we’ve had conversations and we pitched scenes. Some stay and some don’t. But we saw [Peggy] in Winter Soldier, so we know she’s around.”
At one point in the conversation, Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther was brought up. As you know he'll be introduced Captain America: Civil War and then jump to his own solo film. This is all McFeely said about the character:
“I’ll keep that one close to the vest, but I’m very gratified that they went with Chadwick and that he said yes because he’s a good get.”
From the looks of that last Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, it looks like something big goes down in Wakanda, which is where Black Panther is from. I'm sure that will spark his entrance into the MCU, and he might come into it pretty pissed off. We'll just have to wait and see.
Captain America: Civil War is set for release on May 6, 2016.