The Marvel Cinematic Universe tends to ignore its smaller screen companions, but the aftermath of what happens in the movies usually plays out in the Marvel TV shows. "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." had its entire premise upended following "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," and the next sequel, "Captain America: Civil War," will have similar ramifications for Director Coulson and his team on the ABC series.
"Civil War" will split the Avengers team between Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) causing Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), Vision (Paul Bettany) and War Machine (Don Cheadle) as well as new recruits Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) to choose a side. The decision of accountability for Earth's Mightiest Heroes will reach beyond the superhero team.
"It will definitely have a ripple effect," said Jed Whedon, executive producer of "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." "It is one world, so if there is a giant event, it will definitely have a ripple effect on our world."
It may also cause a divide among the S.H.I.E.L.D. team. The stars of "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" gave their picks for which side their characters would choose.
Luke Mitchell, who plays Lincoln, stayed loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D. and picked Team Cap as did his co-star Henry Simmons, who plays Mack. Coulson (Clark Gregg) would also seem a lock for Captain America given his long-time admiration for the First Avenger, but his position as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. may lead him to a different conclusion.
"I think the Coulson from some of the earlier films, especially, would have just been, 'Wherever Steve Rogers goes, I'm going to be there with my cards, and at some point, I'm going to get them signed,'" Gregg said. "But what's amazing about this this character for 70 episodes of television, and putting him at the lead of a no-longer-existing SHIELD that's hunted around the world, is that you get a very different perspective. I think it's really going to depend at such time as Coulson actually has to deal with what's going on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, on what has happened here, between now and then, because here is where his focus is right now."
What's happening now on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." is still dealing with the fallout of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and the rise again of Hydra. Coulson and his team have spent the last two seasons trying to snuff out the villainous organization that many thought Captain America ended in World War II.
Led by Gideon Malick (Powers Boothe), former World Security Council member, Hydra is building a team around the Inhuman beast, Hive (Brett Dalton), who will go up against S.H.I.E.L.D. and any other Hydra enemies.
"Captain America: Civil War" premieres in theaters on May 6. "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.
