Team Iron Man Talks Captain America: Civil War

May 02, 2016

By: Lynn Barker

In Captain America: Civil War, some of our most beloved superheroes turn on each other and make moral choices to get behind either Captain America (Chris Evans) or Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) based on the question of working solo vigilante or falling under governmental control. Heavy subject but some great character conflict and action!

Iron Man and War Machine prepare for battleCourtesy of Marvel

Check out what Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Paul Bettany (Vision) and Don Cheadle (War Machine) have to say about the action and emotion-packed new film!

War Machine (Don Cheadle)Courtesy of Marvel

Q: We’ve seen the emotional layers of Tony Stark pulled back in these movies. How does that continue in Civil War?

Robert: I’m still reeling from the fact that Paul Bettany was Jarvis and now he’s Vision. There’s something (strange about that). You’re asking what’s going on with Tony? Wait, did he make this guy? (He looks at Paul Bettany sitting next to him). Look at him.
Paul: Dad.
Robert: I’m proud of you. As far as the emo arc of Tony over these bunch of years, I think that anyone who sticks around for more than a minute and joins the party here, that’s where Marvel has done its smartest moves is make sure there is a real emotional impact to what’s going on and I am no exception.

Iron Man Tony StarkCourtesy of Marvel

Q: Paul you are newer to the franchise. Do you guys compare notes as to who has it worse on set? (Assume referring to costumes and make-up?)

Paul: I think it’s a photo-finish but I think maybe (it might be) Chadwick (Boseman who plays Black Panther) with the whole not being able to breathe business.
Robert: You can’t tell with Paul because he’s British. It’s hard to know how excruciating it is. We should all be a bit more like Paul.
Paul: Awwww

Vision (Paul Bettany)Courtesy of Marvel

Q: Don, everybody has new toys in this and I feel like maybe War Machine hasn’t gotten the upgrade he deserves.

Don: Thank God somebody finally made it there! There’s time. It’s not over, unless I die. I haven’t seen the movie. Do I live? I think there are more tricks potentially up War Machine’s sleeve.

War Machine to the rescueCourtesy of Marvel

Q: The airport scene (in which there is a big battle) is impressive. Can you talk about doing that?

Don: It’s not usually until we see the finished project that we know what all has gone on. Often, it’s these disparate moments we are trying to focus on. We’ll see Pre-Viz and the Russos (the brothers who direct together) will tell us what is happening but it’s not until you see it all together that it’s like “Wow!”. It’s really an amazing technological feat that it all works.
Robert: Just for the record, there is an airport sequence in this movie? Looking forward to it. (laughter).

Part of Team Iron ManCourtesy of Marvel

Q: Rhodey and Tony are still friends in this, right?

Robert: Rhodey and Tony have had this ongoing arc but then there’s all this bad guy stuff that has to happen and what I really appreciate is you really get back this baseline, complicated, ongoing friendship that they have and it’s obviously challenged to a different degree. I remember when we were doing that kind of resolution scene at the end and all that stuff, and that was before I saw miles ahead and realized that I already thought (to Don) you were great but now I realize you are the single most talented person I’ve been working with in a long time.
Don: (beaming) Thank you man.

Rhodey Rhodes (War Machine)Courtesy of Marvel

Tony Stark tries to reason with Steve RogersCourtesy of Marvel

Q: Paul you, as Vision, have a relationship with Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) developing in this film yet you end up on opposite sides. How was it developing that?

Paul: It’s an interesting idea. You find Vision, in Age of Ultron he is just born and omnipotent yet naïve and in this movie you find him trying to figure out what humanity is and how you have loyalty because logic doesn’t afford loyalty. So, I think he’s really interested in working out what love is and there’s this woman who has a similar problem to what he’s facing. He doesn’t know the limits of his power nor does she. Of course love can make you feel loyal and at the end of this movie it’s a double-edged sword because you see him finally having a human response and he makes a big mistake which is interesting and I thought a very deft piece of storytelling. It was really fun to do especially moving forward.

Vision in actionCourtesy of Marvel

Q: What do you think draws filmgoers to your characters?

Don: I know that Rhodey is always struggling with what does he owe as a serviceman and his duty and chain of command and how much must that be protected and honored. But, also I’m in this team of people who, some of them have no limit to their power and where are the checks and balances and that’s something that’s obviously central to this film as well. I think that’s an understandable fence that he’s on. Relationships versus chain of command. That’s what Rhodey is trying to balance as he goes forward with this group of guys.
Paul: I think for Vision, the synthetic people around the world yearning to break free from the shackles of expectation, they really get behind my character (laughter). I can speak for them.