In the mid-1940s, as their cash cow monster-fronted horror movies were starting to wane, Universal Pictures embarked on a series of what became known as “Monster Rally” movies—throwing any number of their famous horror characters (Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, etc.) into the same story and promising big-time fireworks. Initially, the Avengers movies looked like Marvel Studios’ monster rally, the meeting point for their individual characters, spaced at regular intervals between their individual adventures; that’s why it seems strange that the forthcoming Captain America: Civil War boasts so many characters from the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Iron Man, Hawkeye, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, and Black Widow (who also appeared in the previous Captain America film, The Winter Soldier ).
So what gives? Don’t trust ol’ Cap to carry his own movie anymore? Prepping for the series exit that Chris Evans has been talking about for like four years now? Worried about the ever-so-slightly sagging box office? Anyway, these are all questions I could’ve asked when they released the cast list for this movie, but now there’s a trailer, which has already racked up over two million views since its debut last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Full disclosure: It looks pretty cool.
Captain America: Winter Solder is out May 6.