The Captain America is franchise is continuing to grow into Marvel’s most important franchise, with The Winter Soldier bringing huge changes to the universe and a spin-off series, Agent Carter, coming this winter. Now Variety is reporting that Robert Downey Jr. is close to signing on into 2016’s Captain America 3.

The inclusion of Downey is massive news and it is being reported that the film will be an adaptation of Marvel’s massively successful crossover 2006 event Civil War. The comic depicted a massive superhuman civil war with Iron Man leading one side in support of a government mandated Superhuman Registration Act and Captain America leading the side that opposed it. This surprising move puts Stark in the role of the antagonist in the highly anticipated film.

Downey is already joining Chris Evans in next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and is contracted to appear in The Avengers 3. He has had the option to star in an Iron Man 4, which has been discussed recently, but it looks like he will star in Captain America 3 in lieu of another solo outing. Evans is also contracted to appear another Marvel film outside of the Cap sequel and the next two Avengers films.

Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed the critically acclaimed “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, will return to direct the film.

This news comes hot on the heels on the announcement that Marvel will be bringing back the Civil War in the comics with a mysterious announcement at the New York Comic-Con.



