Captain America: Civil War (2016): Cast, Plot, Teams and Ending Explained
Captain America: Civil War (2016), directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, is the Marvel film in which the Avengers split into two teams over government oversight, and it earned more than $1.15 billion worldwide against a $250 million budget. It opened in the US on May 6, 2016, and it is the 13th film in release order, the 15th in chronological order and the first film of Phase Three, with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. leading the opposing sides.
Captain America: Civil War is about the Avengers fracturing when governments demand oversight of the team after its missions leave civilians dead. The public is angry over the damage the heroes leave behind, and a bombing at a UN conference in Vienna adds to the pressure, so world leaders push for the team to be placed under international control.
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) supports the idea, while Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) fears losing the freedom to act on his own judgment. The bombing is then blamed on Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Rogers' old friend, and the team begins to split over what should happen to him. If you are new to the saga, this is a Captain America sequel at heart, since it continues the story of Rogers and Barnes from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but it also pulls in Stark and other heroes from across the saga.
The film runs 147 minutes according to TMDB (The Numbers lists 146), carries a PG-13 rating in the US, a 12A in the UK and an M in Australia, and was directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo.
What Songs Are in Captain America: Civil War? Soundtrack and Score
Henry Jackman composed the score for Captain America: Civil War (2016), and the score album, "Captain America: Civil War", was released by Hollywood Records on April 29, 2016, with 21 tracks.
Jackman had already worked with directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so the orchestral sound of this film continues a partnership rather than starting a new one. The score carries the film's weight, from the Vienna bombing fallout to the airport clash between the two Avengers camps.
The film is not built around a song soundtrack, and only one licensed track is documented in it:
"Left Hand Free" by alt-J
It plays when Peter Parker is first introduced, over shots of his Queens neighborhood, which suits the way the film presents Tom Holland's Spider-Man as a new, local kid rather than another costumed veteran. The Wikipedia soundtrack article also places it again during the end credit sequence. "Left Hand Free" was not written for the film.
If you are comparing the music across the saga, Jackman's work here is a good place to start for the darker, more political tone that the Russo brothers brought to the Captain America trilogy. For the rest of the saga, see Marvel soundtrack.
2Lagos · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery, Alex Belcher, Jack Dolman2:10
3Consequences · Henry Jackman2:21
4Ancestral Call · Henry Jackman2:36
5Zemo · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery3:09
6The Tunnel · Henry Jackman3:51
7Celestial Bodies · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery1:44
8Boot Up · Henry Jackman5:16
9A New Recruit · Henry Jackman1:47
10Stepping Up · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery1:59
11Standoff · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery4:01
12Civil War · Henry Jackman4:26
13Larger Than Life · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery3:40
14Catastrophe · Henry Jackman2:36
15Revealed · Henry Jackman5:38
16Making Amends · Henry Jackman1:34
17Fracture · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery4:00
18Clash · Henry Jackman3:54
19Closure · Henry Jackman, Halli Cauthery5:32
20Cap's Promise · Henry Jackman3:46
21Adagio · Henry Jackman2:18
Songs in Captain America: Civil War
Left Hand Free
Licensed song
alt-J
It plays when Peter Parker is first introduced, over shots of his Queens neighborhood, and the Wikipedia soundtrack article says it plays again during the end credit sequence.
Captain America: Civil War Plot Explained in FullSpoilers
The full plot of Captain America: Civil War runs from a failed mission in Lagos to the fight between Stark and Rogers and Barnes at an old Hydra base in Siberia, and it splits the Avengers into two camps.
After the Lagos mission goes wrong and civilians die, world leaders demand that the Avengers accept oversight. Stark backs the plan out of guilt, but Rogers refuses to sign. A bomb then kills the king of Wakanda at the UN event in Vienna, and Bucky Barnes is named as the culprit. The king's son T'Challa hunts him. Rogers finds Barnes first and protects him, and the two end up in custody. Zemo, the real bomber, gets to Barnes and uses his brainwashing trigger words to cause chaos before he is stopped.
Rogers then recruits allies, including Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff and Scott Lang, to stop Zemo from freeing other brainwashed soldiers. Stark gathers his own side, including Natasha Romanoff, Rhodes, Vision, T'Challa and a young Peter Parker. The two sides fight at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Rhodes is badly hurt when Vision's blast accidentally hits him, and Rogers' group is captured or driven off.
Stark learns that Zemo is the true culprit and follows Rogers and Barnes to an old Hydra base in Siberia. Zemo shows them footage proving that Barnes killed Stark's parents while under Hydra's control. Stark attacks in rage, and the fight ends with Barnes' metal arm destroyed and Stark's armor disabled by Rogers' shield. Rogers leaves the shield behind and walks away with Barnes, while T'Challa stops Zemo from taking his own life.
Premiere, Release Dates and Box Office: Was Civil War a Hit?
Captain America: Civil War was a hit, earning more than $1.15 billion worldwide against a $250 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
The film held its premiere on April 12, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It then opened in Australia on April 28, 2016, in the UK on April 29 and in the US on May 6, per Box Office Mojo's release group listings.
The Box Office Mojo breakdown is $408 million domestic and $747 million international, for $1.155 billion worldwide. The Numbers lists slightly lower international and worldwide totals, so the cleanest summary is that the film comfortably cleared $1 billion on either count. That placed it well above the earlier Captain America films. Against Avengers: Age of Ultron, it shares the same $250 million budget, while Age of Ultron grossed more worldwide. For the saga wide table, see Marvel box office.
Captain America: Civil War Ending ExplainedSpoilers
The ending of Captain America: Civil War leaves the Avengers divided, Zemo in custody and Bucky Barnes asleep in Wakanda, and in my opinion it works because nobody on either side gets a clean win.
The facts first. Zemo is taken into custody after T'Challa stops him. Stark sends Rhodes a set of supportive braces to help him walk, and he receives a message from Rogers. Rogers breaks his imprisoned allies out of the Raft. Barnes goes to Wakanda and chooses to be put back into cryogenic sleep until his brainwashing can be cured.
What was the point of the fight? It could be argued that there are two fights stacked on top of each other. The airport fight is the ideological one: Stark accepts oversight out of guilt, Rogers refuses to sign because he does not want to lose the freedom to act on his own judgment, and both are partly right. The Siberia fight is personal, and it is the one that actually ends the friendship. Zemo never needs to beat anyone, since he only has to show Stark the footage of his parents' death and let the grief do the work.
What was Captain America doing in Civil War? Mostly protecting Barnes, and then trying to stop Zemo from freeing other brainwashed soldiers. Leaving the shield behind in Siberia is the film's quietest moment, and I read it as Rogers choosing his friend over the title. That being said, the sheer cost is visible in Rhodes' injury, a result of Vision's blast, which is the one moment where the fight stops being a spectacle.
The divided Avengers carry straight into Avengers: Infinity War, so this ending matters for the saga as a whole.
Captain America: Civil War Post Credit ScenesSpoilers
Civil War ends with two extra scenes, and both are about people who have just been pulled into the fallout of the Avengers split.
The mid credits scene is set in Wakanda, where Bucky Barnes has been given refuge. He enters cryogenic sleep there, which follows through on his choice at the end of the film to wait until his brainwashing can be cured.
The final scene moves to Peter Parker's bedroom, where he tries out the web shooters Stark made for him. It is a short teaser for Tom Holland's Spider-Man, whose own story continues in the Spider-Man franchise with Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Captain America: Civil War Filming Locations
Captain America: Civil War was filmed mainly in Georgia and Germany, with principal photography at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County, Georgia.
In Atlanta, Downtown's The Gulch stood in for the Lagos market, and shooting also took place in Buckhead, Midtown and Norcross. In Germany, the production worked in Berlin (at the Olympic Stadium and Potsdamer Platz), in Potsdam at Babelsberg Studio, and at Leipzig/Halle Airport for the airport fight. Further locations were Puerto Rico and Norway.
Principal photography began on April 27, 2015, and filming moved to Germany in August 2015, wrapping on August 22, 2015. The production used the working title Sputnik.
Captain America: Civil War Trivia
The best known piece of Captain America: Civil War trivia is that it is the first film of Phase Three and introduces Tom Holland's Spider-Man.
Principal photography began on April 27, 2015, under the working title Sputnik.
Filming moved to Germany in August 2015 and wrapped on August 22, 2015.
It was among the first films shot with IMAX's digital 2D cameras, used for the airport fight.
Stan Lee appears in a cameo as a FedEx deliveryman.
Joe Russo, one of the two directors, plays a psychiatrist in a cameo.
It was a hit. According to Box Office Mojo, Captain America: Civil War earned about $1.155 billion worldwide ($408 million domestic and $747 million international) on a $250 million budget. The Numbers lists slightly lower international and worldwide totals, but both sources put the film above $1 billion.
Why wasn't Captain America: Civil War just an Avengers movie?
It is a Captain America film because the story follows Steve Rogers, who is billed first, and his fight to protect Bucky Barnes, which continues Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It still features most of the Avengers ensemble, which is why many viewers treat it as an Avengers story in all but title.
What was Captain America doing in Civil War?
Steve Rogers refuses to sign the oversight plan, protects Bucky Barnes after the Vienna bombing, and recruits allies to stop Zemo from freeing other brainwashed soldiers. He then follows Zemo to Siberia and leaves his shield behind after the fight with Tony Stark.
Is there a part 2 of Captain America: Civil War?
There is no film called Civil War 2. The Avengers split carries into Avengers: Infinity War, and Captain America's story continues with Sam Wilson in Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
What was the point of the fight in Captain America: Civil War?
The airport fight settles whether the Avengers should accept government oversight, while the Siberia fight is personal, triggered when Zemo shows Stark footage of Barnes killing his parents under Hydra's control.
Is Captain America: Civil War on Netflix?
No. According to JustWatch data via TMDB, checked on November 3, 2026, the film streams on Disney Plus in the US, UK and Australia, and Netflix is not listed in any of those countries. See our where to watch Marvel page for the rental and purchase options.
