Hot on the heels of news that Robert Downey Jr would be reprising his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man comes word today that he is close to signing a deal that would pit his genius billionaire hero against Chris Evans‘ super soldier Captain America.
If things pan out it would see a massive shakeup of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the third Captain America instalment would be sub-titled Civil War.
Comic fans will know that the Civil War storyline sees Steve Rodgers/Captain America and Tony Stark on opposing sides of a fight regarding the Super Human Registration Act.
After hundreds of civilians are killed when they are caught in a battle between warring superhumans, the US government passes the Super Human Registration Act, requiring all superhumans to reveal their identities to the government in return for extra training, the option to work for S.H.I.E.L.D., and becoming legalised as (effectively) another branch of the law service akin to police and sheriff departments. Stark is pro-registration and its benefits whilst Cap is anti, believing that the Act threatens the civil liberties and human rights of superhumans to have ‘normal’ lives. In response the superhero community splits and, after many a clash between the sides politically and physically, the story comes to a devastating conclusion. Characters from across the various Marvel franchises (Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man) feature in the story, and with Marvel currently attempting to consolidate those movie franchises back under its own control could we be about to see the beginning of a united Marvel Cinematic Universe?
It also raises the question of which “versus” movie will win the battle, DC’s Batman vs Superman or Marvel’s Captain America vs Iron Man. I’d say whichever hero comes out on top, comic book movie fans are the winners.
