Captain America
Civil War
Film · 2016 · 147 minutes · Phase Three
After a mission in Lagos results in civilian casualties, the UN introduces the Sokovia Accords to place the Avengers under government oversight, splitting the team: Tony Stark supports the Accords while Steve Rogers refuses to sign, especially after his friend Bucky Barnes is framed for a bombing at the Accords' signing. As Rogers goes rogue to protect Barnes and uncover the real bomber, he assembles a team of allies to oppose Stark's pro-Accords faction, culminating in a fractured Avengers roster fighting each other in Germany and a final, deeply personal confrontation in Siberia over the truth of Bucky's past.
Follows on from
- Captain America: The Winter Soldierside-story — Establishes Bucky Barnes's identity as the brainwashed, trigger-word-programmed Winter Soldier and Steve Rogers's personal loyalty to him — both of which are prerequisites for Civil War's plot, where Zemo reactivates Bucky's programming and Cap's effort to protect him drives him to break with Stark and the Accords.
- Avengers: Age of Ultrondirect-sequel — Picks up on the fallout from the Avengers' battle in Sokovia and other civilian casualties across their operations, which directly triggers the Sokovia Accords conflict that drives the film's plot and splits the team into opposing factions.
Leads to
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 4crossover · optional — Set in the aftermath of Civil War's Sokovia Accords: the registration of powered people is the backdrop to the season's anti-Inhuman thread, though nothing in the plot requires the film.
- Spider-Man: Homecomingside-story — Peter Parker was scouted and recruited by Tony Stark during the events of Civil War, and Homecoming picks up with Peter adjusting to life after that airport battle and his new mentorship under Stark.
- Black Pantherdirect-sequel — T'Challa's father T'Chaka is killed in the UN bombing at the end of Civil War, directly triggering T'Challa's return to Wakanda to assume the throne — the inciting event of this film's plot.
- Avengers: Infinity Warcrossover — Picks up the Avengers still fractured by the Sokovia Accords split, and continues Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark, Vision, and Wanda Maximoff's relationship and status quo directly from the civil war's fallout.
- Ant-Man and the Waspside-story — Set two years after Civil War and driven by its consequences — Scott is under house arrest for joining Cap's side in the airport battle, and this status quo shapes the entire plot.
- New World Order — S01E01side-story · optional — Bucky's current legal status as a pardoned war criminal, referenced through his mandated therapy, stems from the fallout and eventual Wakandan pardon established in Civil War.
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Season Oneside-story — Continues Sam and Bucky's relationship and fugitive history established during the Avengers' split in Civil War, and follows on from Bucky's Wakandan deprogramming.
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldierside-story — Continues the Sam/Bucky partnership and Sam's Sokovia Accords fallout established in Civil War, and brings back Zemo, the film's antagonist.
- Black Widowside-story — Set during Natasha's fugitive period immediately following the Avengers' split over the Sokovia Accords depicted in Civil War.
- Amazing Fantasy — S01E01timeline-branch — Peter's introduction in Civil War, where Tony Stark recruits him, is mirrored here with Norman Osborn waiting in his living room instead; in this timeline Doctor Strange's time-travel accident gives Peter his powers and Norman becomes his mentor, with the Sokovia Accords split playing out in the background.
- Captain America: Brave New Worldcameo-only · optional — Nods to Thaddeus Ross's political history since pushing the Sokovia Accords, now culminating in his election as President.