Note: This is a spoiler-free article. Everything you see and read here is in the trailer, or is already public knowledge from Marvel’s official announcements and movies released.
We were just hit by the awesomeness that is the second trailer of one of this year’s most anticipated films, the Marvel behemoth Captain America: Civil War. The trailer sets up the movie’s basic plot and most of the pieces involved, so a commentary on the trailer itself isn’t really warranted. It is also easy enough to find online discussions, breakdown, commentary and theories based on the trailer for those preferring the information laid out for them. Here, let’s try to attempt something slightly different – you’ll find here pointers towards the not-so-obvious that was shown in the trailer (using screenshots), and the questions such knowledge raise.
First, let’s watch the trailer again (and again).
The trailer begins with the visuals of a snow-covered isolated place that is home to some sort of facility where the Winter Soldier is imprisoned. Quite obvious. But here’s two bits of details there:
That is the Russian flag on the soldier’s sleeve.
There’s the Hydra symbol on the inner door (watch the trailer in HD, full-screen to catch that). Since the next shot shows the Winter Soldier in what looks like cryo-sleep, could this be a flashback to the events before Captain America: Winter Soldier?
William Hurt is back as General T Ross after the Incredible Hulk (2008). He gives a cost of each of the three major events that Captain America was involved in:
– New York’s Chitauri Invasion: 74 lives, US$18.8 billion.
– Washington DC’ Fall of SHIELD: 23 lives, US$ 2.8 billion.
– Sokovia’s Ultron offensive: 177 lives, US$ 474 billion.
Next, we see two shots that suggest the motivation of Black Panther:
– An explosion at the UN
– A distraught T’Challa (to become Black Panther) – what/who has he lost here?
– Since we later see Black Panther chasing Winter Soldier with large-scale destruction behind them, it’s safe to presume T’Challa likely blames Bucky for the explosion.
We see Tony Stark at the prison-at-sea that (as the voice-over suggests) he helped build. He’s beaten up and has an arm-sling. Seems he’s already been in an arm-to-arm with the Captain.
Tony Stark’s expression when he realizes he almost got shot in the face, priceless!
In a fight between Man of Iron and Cap of America, Bucky is standing around at the back, but there’s also a figure imprisoned/resting in a glass chamber. Wonder who that is.
One of the qualities that makes Black Panther such a bad-ass. His Vibranium body-suit is impenetrable and absorbs impact. So, he just stands there while being shot at.
If you thought Vision was an invincible God-like being, think again. Scarlett Witch can bring him down with her contorted fingers.
In perhaps the coolest shot from the movie, Ant-Man rides an arrow-head shot by Hawk-Eye to jump through Iron Man’s fingers. Wowzers!
Crossbones is back, and he’s kicking Cap’s ass in some African country. Could that be Wakanda?
Over the course of the trailer, we see the same airfield a few times. Signage suggests this is the Frankfurt airport. Moreover, the airport seems largely intact when the two teams run towards each other, and even when we have our surprise celebrity turn up. But an earlier shot, viewed from behind Black Widow, shows multiple blasts at the same airport. That’s an indication that the two teams will not actually fight to their ends, and that this scene is likely in the second act of the film.
Another few scene with multiple shots of the airport: notice that War Machine is by Iron Man’s side when the teams run towards each other, and also when Iron Man calls out our celebrity superhero. Therefore this scuffle takes place before War Machine is shot down. In the scene we see Iron Man cradling an injured/dead War Machine, the damaged airport is in the background, which suggests the *real* villains are the ones who shoot him down. Lead to, act three!
And finally, our main man! Look at the webbing on the shield! This isn’t some wannabe-cool shot of a thin thread of web pulling the shield away. This is taking the detailing on the action to realism, which is way cooler than fake-cool. The same webbing then hand-cuffs the Cap, before we get the iconic image of Spider-Man holding the shield.
Also notice, Black Widow is behind Captain America in this shot even though earlier she’s running in with Team Iron Man. Jump to conclusions!
Finally, that costume and those eyes:
Our resident Marvel expert, Faizan Rashid, tells us those eyes are reminiscent of Steve Ditko’s original 60s version of Spidey. Hence, nerdgasm!
If you look closely and crank up the volume, those are not animated eyes like Deadpool’s. These are mechanical that perhaps work like a camera lens (Hint: Peter Parker *is* a photographer eventually). Either that’s a very resourceful school kid, or he’s using Stark technology.
Characters are also conspicuous by their absence, most notably Daniel Brühl‘s Baron Zemo and Martin Freeman‘s Everett Ross. Considering the characters/actors involved, there’s a lot under the covers there!
2 months to go – count the days!
