Captain America: Civil War (2016) – Complete Annotations

10:00-15:00

A big long markets fight. We are back at The Gulch.

We see a disfigured Rumlow. He is this way after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), but he is also disfigured in the comics.

Rumlow is killed. Scarlet Witch moves the explosion but kills and many others.

The building is the Richard B. Russell Federal Building. 75 Ted Turner Drive, SW, Atlanta.

Then music. It’s Try To Remember. The song first appeared in the 1960 musical The Fantasticks. The song’s suggestion is apparently by Robert Downey Jr.

Playing the piano and singing is Maria Stark. She’s played by Hope Davis.

Hope Davis as Maria Stark in Captain America: Civil War (2016)

It has taken us this long to meet Maria Stark. She’s been mentioned many times but not seen. In the comics, she has not made many appearances either, having also died along with Howard in that mysterious car accident.

She first appeared in Iron Man #104 (November 1977). She was created by Bill Mantlo and George Tuska.

Davis has appeared in many films from American Splendour (2003), Synedoche New York and TV shows like The Newsroom.

We assume this room is a set.

Her husband – Howard Stark, played by John Slattery.

This is his 3rd appearance in the MCU, having last appeared in Ant-Man (2015).

Then a young Tony Stark. Played by Robert Downey Jr, de-aged.

Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War (2016)

This is Robert Downey Jr’s 7th appearance in the MCU. We last saw him in Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015). He told Slashfilm:

 I wanna credit the Russos, who I just really adore these guys. It’s all talk until you start shooting, but I read their take on what the story was gonna be and I was like, “Wow!” and they said, “This is the Godfather of superhero movies” and I said, “You just said that, and now you’re gonna be held to it,” which in a way, it deflates itself. The same way that Todd Phillips called The Hangover Part 2 because he said, “This is the Godfather of comedies” Ultimately what we didn’t want was a story that’s just a bunch of ideologue nonsense going back and forth because it’s like, “Why are you guys talking? We like it when you’re doing witty stuff or when you’re in a weird position or when you’re really hurting or when you’re fighting,” so I just as a fan of these movies, I wouldn’t want to see anything irreparable happen, but I also like it when seemingly irreparable thing occur and men and women find a way to move past it.

The reference for the young Stark was Downey in 1987’s Less Than Zero.

He’s wearing a Mister Softee t-shirt, an ice cream chain.

We realise these are some sort of holograms. Replaying events from 1991.

Stark is at the MIT Theater, at the real MIT, in Cambridge Massachusetts. We learnt that Stark studied here in Iron Man (2008).

15:00-20:00

As he walks off stage he is greeted by a university liaison played by Jim Rash. Rash worked with the Russo Brothers in Community.

Jim Rash in Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Stark’s assistant, played by Julianna Guill.

Near the toilet, Stark meets a woman named Miriam Spencer, played by Alfre Woodard.

Alfre Woodard in Captain America: Civil War (2016)

She is credited as Miriam in the script and she is likely the MCU version of Miriam Sharpe. She was a mother whose son died, and appeared in the comic book Civil War, playing a pivotal role in the entire series. Although that comic shares a title with this film, it is a very loose adaptation at best.

She was created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. She first appeared in Civil War #1.

Woodard has appeared in 12 Years A Slave, Star Trek First Contact and TV shows like Desperate Housewives. She also had a completely separate role in Luke Cage in the same year.

Her son died in the fictional country of Sokovia, events seen in Avengers Age Of Ultron (2015).

Then we see the news with real MSNBC journalist Kate Snow.

Then on screen, we see on a map, the fictional country of Wakanda. It is home of The Black Panther in Marvel comics, and interesting that the filmmakers have made a decision to have it in a clearly real location. We have seen and heard references to Wakanda before in the MCU – from Iron Man 2 (2010) to Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015).

The king of Wakanda, T’Chaka, played by John Kani.

T’Chaka is straight from the comics. He is the King of Wakanda who dies and makes way for his son. He, like all the kings of Wakanda, was the Black Panther before T’Challa.

He first appeared in Fantastic Four #53 (August 1966). He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Kani is a hugely respected actor for stage and a playwright, this is one of his few film roles. He has appeared in acclaimed films like The Ghost And The Darkness and the The Tichborne Claimant and more.

Watching on is Cap. Hard to tell the location, but we assume it’s the Porsche Experience Center, One Porsche Dr, Atlanta. Story wise he’s in the Avengers HQ. Funny that Cap has a normal looking office.

In Cap’s office, on his right, is the drawing he did of a monkey in the Cap costume from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).

20:00-25:00

Wanda and Cap have a heart to heart. Then the Vision arrives, played by Paul Bettany.

This is Bettany’s 6th time in the MCU, having last appeared in Avengers Age Of Ultron (2015).

Then we see General Thunderbolt Ross. He’s played by William Hurt.

William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross in Captain America: Civil War (2016)

This is Hurt’s second appearance in the MCU. He last appeared in The Incredible Hulk (2008). In that time, he has become the Secretary Of State.

We are still in the Porsche Experience Center.

There is one person at the table we haven’t seen so far. It’s War Machine/Rhodey, played by Don Cheadle.

This is Cheadle’s 4th appearance in the MCU. We last him in Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015).

Ross shows the destruction from previous films. New York was in The Avengers (2012). Washington DC was Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). Sokovia, as seen in Avengers Age Of Ultron (2015). Then Lagos. Cap says it’s enough, presumably before Ross brings up Harlem, whose destruction he caused in The Incredible Hulk (2008).

The Sokovia Accords. An invention for the film, and not from the Civil War comic.

Then we are in Cleveland. In an unknown house location. Could be anywhere?

We see an older Vasily Karpov.

Outside someone has hit his car.

25:00-30:00

That person make it inside his house. It’s Helmut Zemo. He’s played by Daniel Brühl.


Zemo in the comics is better known as Baron Zemo, a longtime Captain America baddie. There have been two main Zemos – Heinrich and Helmut, the former is the father of the latter. Both were leaders of the Masters Of Evil. Helmut had no powers but was brilliant at being evil. He had ties to Nazis as well, which is not reflected in the film. Neither is his distinctive purple mask, although some concept art exists to show the filmmakers had considered it.

He first appeared in Captain America #168 (December 1973). He was created by Tony Isabella, Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema.

Brühl rose to fame in his native Germany, before finding huge international roles in films like Inglorious Basterds and Rush.

Zemo finds Karpov’s files and book. He kills Karpov.

Back at Avengers HQ, and Porsche Experience Center. The gang argue.

Cap gets a text. He’s using a Vivo phone. It’s product placement – the brand ran some promotions.

30:00-35:00

 Skyline of London. We see the beautiful Thames river.

 In a church. It’s not London but Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta.

 The choir is singing. It’s Pie Jesu, set to the music of Requiem Mass, a very traditional funeral piece.

 Cap is carrying a coffin. We see a photo of Peggy Carter, Cap’s love, in a photo from Captain America: The First Avenger (2010).

 The Vicar, played by Laughton Parchment.

Then getting up to speak is Sharon Carter. She’s played by Emily Van Kamp.

This is her second appearance in the MCU. We last saw her in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

There was more to this scene that was deleted. Extended conversations and shots of Peggy’s funeral were cut down. There was another scene that involved a London pub and London bus that didn’t make the film.

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