Marvel really doesn't want us thinking Civil War is just another Avengers movie

There was a time when Captain America: Civil War was being dubbed Avengers 2.5 - or Avengers 3.8 if you ask Anthony Mackie - and with a list of heroes that stretches into double figures, it's not hard to see why. The first trailer for the upcoming Marvel film went some way to calming those fears, and now Cap himself, Chris Evans, has confirmed that the film will definitely be focused on his titular hero.

"Even though there are a lot characters, the focus is on Steve and his struggle. Especially his struggle with Tony Stark," Evans told Disney's Twenty-Three magazine. "It’s exciting to see a guy who’s as optimistic and as selfless as Steve be met with letdown, betrayal, frustration, and selfishness. There are events and people in his life that test him - that challenge him and force him to reevaluate who he is and what he wants out of life".

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige added: "We've seen [the conflict] coming. The clues were there. When you watch the other films you see how Captain America and Iron Man fight the bad guys together, back-to-back, but they have differences. And there is something that happens in the world that divides them."

Marvel have done a good job of sowing the seeds of Cap and Iron Man's big disagreement in previous films, and that relationship - in addition to the one between Steve and Bucky - is likely going to form the heart and soul of Civil War. The inclusion of characters like The Vision and Hawkeye is a nice bonus, but it's probably wise to not expect much character development from them this time round.

It's a similar situation for next month's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; there have been plenty of reports leading up to the film that we're going to be introduced to heroes like The Flash and Aquaman as well, but as long as the film is focused on its central conflict it should make for an effective tease rather than a crippling addition.

Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, and starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Anthony Mackie, and Sebastian Stan, Captain America: Civil War opens in UK cinemas on April 29, 2016 and May 6, 2016 in the US.

Images: Marvel

Amon is a contributing editor and columnist for Empire magazine, but is also a Film and TV writer for GamesRadar+, Total Film, and others. He has also written for NME, Composer Mag, and more, along with being a film critic for TalkSport. He is also the co-host of the Fade to Black Podcast, and a video mashup creator. Can also do a pretty good Bane impersonation.