Captain America: Civil War turns 10 in 2026, and it’s still the MCU’s most consequential film. After Avengers: Age of Ultron, the MCU already had another major crossover film set for next year. However, this film wouldn’t feature the Avengers teaming up against a common enemy.
In Civil War, the Avengers were split into two factions following the introduction of the Sokovia Accords. The Accords attempted to keep them under control by giving a United Nations panel authority over their missions. While Tony Stark was in favor of this agreement, Captain America wasn’t, and their disagreement caused a rift within the team.
That rift wasn’t mended by the end of the film, and its effects were felt the next time the Avengers were needed. While Civil War was only the beginning of Phase 3, it had massive consequences that affected the end of the Infinity Saga, and are still relevant as the MCU approaches Avengers: Doomsday.
Thanos Would Not Have Won If Captain America: Civil War Didn’t Split Up The Avengers
The MCU’s Infinity Saga established Thanos as the main threat, using the Infinity Stones to set up his quest to wipe out half of the universe’s population. Even without the stones, the Mad Titan was a powerful foe with an army and The Black Order at his disposal. However, Civil War certainly made his plan easier.
With the Avengers scattered throughout the Earth, the team failed to come together to fight Thanos. When Bruce Banner returned to Earth and warned Tony about Thanos’ arrival, he tried calling Steve, but was interrupted by the Black Order. Their disconnect led to the Avengers not being at full strength when the world needed them most.
Meanwhile, Steve and other heroes, including Falcon, Black Widow, and Scarlet Witch, were considered fugitives and couldn’t work with the United Nations without the threat of being arrested. The only country where they were safe was Wakanda, and they ultimately failed at stopping Thanos from killing Vision and collecting the final stone.
Thanos still would have put up a good fight against a united Avengers team in Infinity War, as he nearly won again in Endgame before Tony sacrificed himself. However, not fighting all the Avengers at once certainly made his job easier.
Civil War Introduced Spider-Man And Black Panther To The MCU
Civil War was a massive box office success when it premiered in 2016, grossing over $1.15 billion worldwide. While the clash between the Avengers was an intriguing premise, it also helped that this film introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man into the MCU, two of the universe’s most popular characters.
Spider-Man was already a beloved character before this movie premiered, thanks to many decades of comic books and the previous films starring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. However, Spider-Man never interacted with other Marvel characters in those films, besides the ones from his comic books.
The idea of seeing Spider-Man alongside Iron Man and Captain America was exciting, and his addition to the MCU has been a successful collaboration between Marvel Studios and Sony. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films have grossed over $3.9 billion worldwide, and his next film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will likely be another massive hit.
Black Panther wasn’t as well-known to more casual audiences before Civil War, but he became one of the MCU’s most popular heroes following his first solo film. 2018’s Black Panther grossed over $1.34 billion worldwide, and the 2022 sequel, Wakanda Forever, earned $859.2 million.
Chadwick Boseman, who played T’Challa, died in 2020, but his legacy lives on with Letitia Wright’s Shuri taking on the mantle of the new Black Panther. Wakanda and its people have become an essential part of the MCU, and the Wakandans could play a crucial role in Doomsday.
The MCU Is Still Recovering From Civil War
After Endgame, the Sokovia Accords were repealed, giving legal autonomy back to superheroes. However, the Avengers still haven’t reformed, and a new team will have to be assembled quickly when Doctor Doom arrives. While the MCU did just introduce the New Avengers, there is confusion over who the official team is.
In Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross wanted Sam Wilson to help him rebuild the Avengers. However, he turned into the Red Hulk and rampaged through Washington, DC, leading to his arrest and placement in the Raft. Still, Sam revealed he has plans to assemble an Avengers team, though there may be some complications.
At the end of Thunderbolts*, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine announced the Thunderbolts as the New Avengers. The film’s post-credit scene established that the group is working as the official team 14 months later, even living in the old tower. Still, Sam filed for copyright of the name, and the MCU’s civilians supposedly disagree on who the real Avengers are.
At a Disney event in Italy (via @avengersupdated on X), Marvel supposedly confirmed that Sam’s team is the true Avengers in Doomsday, comprised of Falcon, Ant-Man, Shang-Chi, Thor, and Loki. This is something that will need to be addressed in the upcoming film, but it’s clear that Civil War‘s events are still impacting the MCU 10 years later.
- Release Date
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May 6, 2016
- Runtime
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147 minutes
