It’s time to pick a side, as the first “Captain America: Civil War” trailer premiered after Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. teased a “big surprise” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night. Fans expected the first trailer to be released in the midst of previews for Disney’s new Star Wars film, so the big surprise was just that: a surprise. The trailer offers the first peek of footage from the third installment in the Captain America series, including glimpses of new characters and a first look at the rift between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark.
That rift, according to the trailer, surrounds an agreement called “The Accords,” which seems to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the Superhuman Registration Act from the comics. There, the “act” is the conflict behind the arc called — you guessed it — “Civil War.”
Though, when questioned during production, the brothers penning the movie promised that the movie would be very different than the “Civil War” avid comic readers are familiar with.
Based on the trailer, that looks to be true.
The trailer picks up where the “Ant Man” post-credit scene left off, with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) having seemingly captured the brainwashed assassin formerly known as The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan).
“Buck, do you remember me?” Steve asks.
“Your mom’s name was Sarah,” Bucky says. “You used to wear newspapers in your shoes.”
From there, we learn that Bucky has been set up — quite possibly for whatever international incident is described in the official synopsis — and the scene changes.
General Ross (William Hurst) introduces the infamous Accords then, telling Cap that he is little more than a vigilante. Tony Stark sides with him, and Cap goes rogue, followed by Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton and, of course, Bucky Barnes. We see Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) for a moment in costume, though there’s not a single glimpse of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
Although lacking several confirmed characters, the trailer offers plenty of drama and explosions, mostly in the form of pitting Steve against Tony.
“You know I wouldn’t do this if I had any other choice, but he’s my friend,” Steve tells him, speaking of Bucky.
“So was I,” Tony says.
The posters released alongside the trailer tote the tagline “Divided we fall,” and the trailer certainly implies a horrible fallout amongst the triumphant reunion of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. If the trailer is any indication, we can expect a story of both loyalty and betrayal, as heroes team up against heroes.
“Captain America: Civil War” will arrive in theaters on May 6, 2016.