Captain America: Civil War is, without a doubt, the largest event to unfold in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far. But Civil War is only the beginning. After the superhero clash, a handful of standalone films are scheduled to arrive, including Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok among others. But following Black Panther in February of 2018, the beginning of the end of the MCU as we know it could arrive with Avengers: Infinity War Part 1.

Still, it’s a long two-year road from Civil War to Infinity War. Many things could change in the MCU - something which the Russo Brothers, the directors of both Civil War and the Infinity War saga, are well aware of.

Hey U Guys sat down with Joe and Anthony Russo following the premiere of Captain America: Civil War in London. In their interview (watch it below), the directorial team discusses the different tones employed in the MCU, including the captivating undertones which run throughout their films. Joe Russo says they enjoy “movies that are complicated” and love to include multifaceted elements in their own films. The pair also acknowledges that fan pressure, while daunting at times, doesn’t heavily impact their decision-making on set. As comic book fans since childhood, they want to make movies they’d enjoy watching and hope their films translate well to other fans.

The Russos also explores the direction the MCU is headed in after Civil War. With the script being wrapped up and both parts of Infinity War tentatively shooting in November, big changes are in the works at Marvel. Anthony Russo addresses the potential devastation of the upcoming two-parter:

The massive dual-film saga calls for action on a massive scale, including new settings, new scenarios. and even new characters. Russo continues, saying:

“We are moving into a phase now in the storytelling where, when we bring Captain America’s story forward from Civil War, it’s going to be into Avengers: Infinity War. That’s the next chapter, so to speak, in his specific story, and there’s been no talk of where we go beyond that yet.”

“Those are two gigantic movies that are intended to be the culmination of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s going to be storytelling that happens in those films that we haven’t seen yet in the MCU, so who’s to say what the condition of the characters are at that point? Who even makes it to that movie to begin with, but who makes it out of those movies is anybody’s guess at this point.”

Under the circumstances, the Russo bros seem to warn fans that nobody in the MCU is safe. Studio head Kevin Feige clearly has a concept of where the shared universe is headed after Phase 4. There are several untitled films slated for release shortly after Infinity War Part 2 – possibly Doctor Strange 2 or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But Fiege himself has stated that the MCU will be “distinctly different” after Phase 3. At this point, with some of the MCU’s major players’ status uncertain after Infinity War, it’s entirely possible Phase 4 could launch with a very different field.

Still, it’s difficult to believe that Marvel would throw away major bankable franchises like Captain America, Thor, or Iron Man. On the other hand, if fan-favorites die and contracts end, devotees could see alternative versions of their favorite characters, much like the changes between first X-Men film series and X-Men: First Class. In addition, Infinity War will introduce brand new players into the MCU, who may become the focus of Phase 4. It will be fascinating to see what develops as Civil War kicks off Phase 3.

Captain America: Civil War opens in theaters May 6, 2016, followed by Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019; Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.

Source: Hey U Guys