What made the recent CAPTAIN AMERICA movies –WINTER SOLDIER and CIVIL WAR – stand out from the rest of the Marvel pack were themes that reflect the current political and social climate. Both films dealt with issues of government surveillance and compliance, and we can thank directors Joe and Anthony Russo for making those themes so palpable. Those keeping an eye in INFINITY WAR may be wondering if the film could tackle similar issues, and according to the duo when you’re dealing with such a large scale you can’t help but move away from the politics.

When asked by Variety if the movie would focus on real-world issues like the last two CAP movies, the directors said that this time around the story will deal with “much larger issues”, such as “fate and destiny”:

Joe: My brother and I are politically minded guys. We’re all impacted by what’s going on every day in the world. Heroes are a way to remove yourself from what may be difficult concepts to talk about in your life. They’re a way to get some distance and have an experience in a theater where you’re confronting those issues in a way that’s safer for your psyche.

Anthony: In WINTER SOLDIER we were thinking about the surveillance state. In CIVIL WAR our heroes had to decide, is it better to allow themselves to be monitored and controlled by the government or to disband and not let that happen? It’s a theme that just keeps expanding. You’ll find that INFINITY WAR and the still untitled Avengers movie deal with much larger issues. They move beyond the politics. Those stories were specifically about Captain America, and he’s a guy that wears a flag on his shield. We can’t help but address current American issues with him. INFINITY WAR deals with much deeper, more universal and more profound themes of fate and destiny and the essence of what it means to be a hero.

In INFINITY WAR, and the following AVENGERS movie, we will see every superhero the MCU has introduced thus far fighting the galactic super baddie, Thanos (Josh Brolin). That plot description is enough to get the point across that the movie probably won’t deal with any grounded, political issues such as voter fraud or collusion, even if a character like Captain America (Chris Evans) is involved.

There are so many new characters involved in the upcoming AVENGERS movies that trying to keep it all grounded in a story focused on real-world issues is just not in the cards – even if that focus made the CAPTAIN AMERICA movies among the best in the MCU. Like they said, there are so many larger matters at stake than personal freedom and the movie will present a much larger test for our favorite heroes. Whether or not this will make for a more epic or bloated experience will be determined, but a war will be upon the Avengers, and it’s time to put political agenda aside. That would happen in real life, right?

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR arrives May 4, 2018.