Where to watch Captain America: Civil War
Disney Plus carries Civil War in the US, alongside the rest of the Infinity Saga. If you live elsewhere, check the watch box on this page, since streaming rights differ from country to country. The film runs 147 minutes, about two and a half hours, making it one of the longer Phase 3 entries. The airport battle lands roughly in the middle, so it makes a natural break if you split the film across two sittings.
| Detail | Captain America: Civil War |
|---|
| US streaming | Disney Plus |
| Runtime | 147 minutes |
| Story year | 2016 |
| Watch first | The Winter Soldier, Age of Ultron |
| Phase | Phase 3, Infinity Saga |
| Our rating | Essential |
What to watch before Captain America: Civil War
Two films are real prerequisites. Captain America: The Winter Soldier explains who Bucky Barnes is now and why Steve will not give up on him. Avengers: Age of Ultron supplies the destruction of Sokovia, the event that makes the world's governments demand control over the Avengers. Skip either one and the central argument loses most of its force.
Ant-Man is a helpful extra. It is the film just before Civil War by release, and it ends with a credits scene lifted straight from this movie. Scott Lang turns up again in the airport fight, so his introduction makes that scene more fun.
Where it sits in the watch order
Civil War reached theaters in 2016 and is set in the same year, so release order and story order line up closely here. In our full timeline the Netflix shows, ending with Marvel's The Punisher, sit between Ant-Man and this film, but none of them affect its plot.
For the complete shield-bearer run, see our Captain America movies in order guide. To place Civil War among every film from Iron Man to Endgame, the Infinity Saga in order list does the job.
Captain America: Civil War explained (spoiler-free)
After another mission goes wrong and civilians die, the United Nations drafts the Sokovia Accords, a deal that would put the Avengers under official oversight. Tony Stark, carrying a lot of guilt, wants to sign. Steve Rogers does not trust any institution after what happened to S.H.I.E.L.D. When Bucky is accused of a bombing in Vienna, the disagreement turns personal, and the team splits into two camps.
The script gives each side a fair hearing, which is why fans still argue about who was right. Behind it all, a quiet and patient man named Zemo has his own plan. He is a very different kind of villain, and that is part of why the film still holds up.
Captain America: Civil War post-credit scenes
There are two extras, and both are worth the wait. The mid-credits scene stays with Bucky and shows where he and Steve stand after the fallout, with Wakanda now part of the picture. The final scene at the very end of the credits belongs to Peter Parker, who tries out a gift from Tony Stark and points the way to Spider-Man: Homecoming. Neither scene spoils the main fight.
Why it matters so much
Few MCU films change the status quo this much. The Avengers break apart, and they stay broken when Infinity War begins. Civil War also introduces two characters who go on to lead their own films: T'Challa, whose story continues in Black Panther, and a teenage Spider-Man in his first MCU appearance, who returns in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
It launches Natasha's solo story too. Black Widow, next on our timeline, opens with her on the run because of choices she makes here. If you follow our essential list only, this is one of the titles you cannot drop.
Cast and characters
Joe and Anthony Russo direct, their second Captain America film after The Winter Soldier. Chris Evans leads as Steve Rogers, with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in what is really a co-lead. Scarlett Johansson's Natasha is caught between the two sides. Sebastian Stan returns as Bucky, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, and Don Cheadle as Rhodey, whose role in the airport battle has lasting consequences. Hawkeye, Ant-Man, Vision and Scarlet Witch also join the fight.
