15 Things You Didn’t Know About Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War is the thirteenth film in Marvel’s cinematic universe. Pitting one team of Avengers against another with a whole host of newcomers, the team had a lot of plates to keep spinning in order to get this film off the ground – resulting in a lot of trivia.

Feel free to use the anecdotes below the next time you want to impress someone with your movie knowledge.

1. Spider-Man was supposed to get a lot more screen time

Initially the writers wanted to put a lot more focus on Spider-Man, however after Sony Pictures rejected Marvel’s initial proposal to include the character they were forced to look for alternatives and chose to significantly increase T’Challa’s role in the movie – which originally didn’t even have him donning the Black Panther costume.

After the disappointing reception to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony cancelled their plans for a Spider-Man Shared Universe and renegotiated the deal with Marvel. Unfortunately this happened too late into production to feature Peter Parker as prominently as they had originally planned.

2. Charlie Cox thought this would be his Marvel movie debut

After joining the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) as the lead in 2015’s Netflix Daredevil series, Charlie Cox got interested in the comic backstory of his character and was excited upon discovering that Daredevil was a part of the original Civil War comic book event.

For reasons unknown, Marvel Studios opted not to include the character in the movie – despite the fact that Cox’s contract mandates that he is required to show up in a movie if it is asked of him.

3. Samuel L. Jackson was “surprised” not to be returning 

Samuel L. Jackson was “surprised” to discover that Nick Fury would not be in the film after “the Russo Brothers told him he was.” Executive Producer Nate Moore stated that Fury was not included “because he didn’t add anything to the Civil War story they were telling.”

4.Iron Man was almost cut from the film completely

Robert Downey Jr’s contract with Marvel ended after his sixth film appearance in Iron Man 3. This gave RDJ the ability to negotiate a better deal when he was approached about appearing in Civil War.

He asked for more money and a larger role, which very nearly lead to Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter having him written out of the film completely before Kevin Feige stepped in, saying Iron Man was vital to the film.

This confrontation led to Ike Perlmutter no longer being involved in the movie side of Marvel Studios.

5. Falcon and Bucky’s rivalry continued after filming wrapped

It’s pretty clear in the film that despite both being on Team Cap, Sam and Bucky don’t get along. This competition could even be seen between the two actors after filming finished as on the last day of filming Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie raced each other while wearing their super suits.

6. Bucky once dated an antagonist from Agent Carter

At one point Bucky and Steve Rogers are reminiscing about the old days and recall going on a double date in Brooklyn. Cap mentions that Bucky’s date was a redhead named Dolores – or Dot.

The description suggests that they’re talking about Dottie Underwood, a character who shows up in Agent Carter season 2. Dottie was used as a weapon by the Soviets, similar to Bucky.

7. Chadwick Boseman went full Daniel Day-Lewis

Chadwick Boseman did some serious prep-work for his role as T’Challa. He underwent a vigorous training program to get in shape, read as many Black Panther comics as he could get hold of and even visited South Africa to try to add cultural elements to the role.

He even invented a Wakandan accent and spoke in that accent for the entire time he was filming – whether he was on set or not.

8. Chris Evans injured himself filming the iconic helicopter shot

There is a shot in the movie of Captain America stopping a helicopter from taking off with his bare hands. The shot was use in the first teaser trailer for the film and co-director Joe Russo said that it is “the most powerful shot of the film”

Talking about that shot, Evans said

“That shot is a little bit of bicep porn. ‘Zoom in on the biceps’ – that’s what the script said. Kevin Feige didn’t airbrush my biceps, that’s me. It’s not a utilitarian shot, it’s a shot where you’re trying to look heroic.
That position (of holding the helicopter with one hand and the ledge with another) is actually a very unnatural position to use to stop something but we used it because I have to flex my bicep, you are trying to make the scene look great and I genuinely messed my arm doing that shot because of the strain.”

The iconic shot almost did not happen because on the day of the film-making there was a mis-communication with the costume department.

9. Sebastian Stan tried to intimidate Robert Downey Jr before filming a fight scene

The day before filming a fight scene with Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan sent him a video of himself doing intense bicep curls in front of the decapitated head of an Iron Man suit. He attached the message, ‘Looking forward to our scene tomorrow Robert.’

You can view the video here.

10. The Spider-Man casting decision came down to child labour laws

Marvel and Sony disagreed on the final casting of Spider-Man. Marvel wanted Charlie Plummer, whereas Sony wanted Tom Holland (who eventually won the role)

Despite wanting to keep this Spider-Man as young as possible, Holland had a slight advantage as Plummer would still be bound by child-labour laws until he reaches 18 and would be limited to how much they can shoot each day while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming.

11. Reference to D23

In the film, when Bucky, Captain America, Falcon, and Black Panther are first captured Bucky is placed in a cell marked D23. D23 is the official fan club for The Walt Disney Company and the fourth D23 Expo was held on August 14-16, 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, where the first footage from the film was screened.

12. Black Widow references her history with the Winter Soldier

While fighting the Winter Soldier, Black Widow asks him, “You could at least recognize me.”. This is a reference to the Soviet Scientist she was guarding when she was shot by the Winter Soldier.

This may also be a reference to a storyline in the comics where the two were romantically involved, or the story she told in Captain America: Winter Soldier of being shot by him while in a mission.

13. Co-director, Joe Russo, cameoed in the movie

Joe Russo has a small role in the movie as the body of Dr. Theo Broussard found in the bathtub of Zemo’s hotel room.

He has featured in a number of his own works under the alias Gozie Agbo, he was also seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Dr. Fine.

14. The eulogy read at Peggy Carter’s funeral was taken from a speech made by Captain America

The eulogy that Sharon Carter reads at Peggy’s funeral was originally said by Captain America in an issue #537 of The Amazing Spider-Man.

“Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world – No, you move.”

15. The Bluth Family from Arrested Development exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

During the airport fight scene a truck resembling the stair truck owned by the Bluth Family in Arrested Development. The Russo Brothers directed the pilot for and many other episodes of Arrested Development.