Five Biggest Surprises In The Captain America: Civil War Casting Announcement

Earlier today, Marvel Studios officially announced that Captain America: Civil War has begun production in Atlanta. An official press release listed the many, many members of the cast, and there were few surprising additions and omissions among them.

We'll go over those below, but be warned that these explanations contain some spoilers for Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Ant-Man

Ant-Man has been something of an isolated movie amongst the greater Marvel Studios slate, being the only film set between Age of Ultron and Civil War. It was unclear where Scott Lang would end up after his own story wrapped. Seems he'll find himself caught in superhero warfare.

The Vision

One of the few Avengers not immediately rumored to be in the film from the word go, the Vision's inclusion in Captain America: Civil War is a bit less shocking now that Avengers: Age of Ultron is in theaters. Now that we know he is officially a member of Captain America and Black Widow's new Avengers team, it makes sense that he would be drafted into the war.

War Machine

Another character who wasn't talked about much before the announcement, but in retrospect seems like a natural fit. As Tony Stark's best friend and a member of the new Avengers roster, led by Cap, James Rhodes is going to be put into a awkward position, and it's unclear whose side he'll end up on.

No Nick Fury or Maria Hill?

S.H.I.E.L.D. plays a major role in Civil War in the comics, and it seemed like they were set up to play a major role in the movie as well. So why aren't Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and/or Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill in the cast list? They've been the face of S.H.I.E.L.D. through all of Marvel's movies, so they're very conspicuous by their absence. Perhaps S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to keep their new identity as a relief and aid organization, a role they filled for Sokovia in Age of Ultron, and the absence of Hill and Fury is why Thunderbolt Ross and whoever Martin Freeman is playing were brought on board.

No Spider-Man?

This one is really more about fan expectations. Fans assumed that, with Marvel gaining the rights to use Spider-Man, they'd try to get him how there as soon as possible. That might make it surprising to some that Spider-Man isn't listed in the Civil War announcement, not even as being in the film but still uncast. He may yet show up in a cameo or post-credits role, but I think the message her is that Marvel wants to do this Spider-Man thing right, and that means doing it in their own time.

Captain America: Civil War is now filming and opens in theaters May 6, 2016.