Hold on to your capes and cowls, Marvelites! Captain America: Civil War was merely the beginning of the MCU's internal strife.

Long before Marvel announced separate movies for both the Civil War and Infinity War storylines, the Internet was rife with debate over which plot would take precedence. Although each beloved adventure will get a moment in the spotlight, the aftermath of the Caps' (Chris Evans)/Iron Ma (Robert Downey, Jr.) will carry though as Phase 3 continues to set the stage for Avengers 3.

"We always thought of this movie as the start of the war," director Joe Russo teased in a recent Q&A. "It's not over yet."

Considering half of the Avengers are currently in hiding, we're not overly surprised by Russo's statements. The Sokovia Accords put constraints on Iron Man and his cohorts, but it also gives them the ability to step out into the open. Captain America, while able to act unilaterally, is now trapped in the shadows.

So, exactly how strongly will Civil War affect Infinity War? The Avengers won't have much time to hash out their own issues before the 2018 film, but that doesn't mean the Sokovia Accords are iron clad. It also doesn't mean that someone like Iron Man won't break the pact in the meantime. Out of Marvel's four pre-Avengers 3 movies, 2018's Black Panther is prime real estate to answer these questions.

After all, there simply won't be time during Infinity War. The sheer number of Avengers has skyrocketed, and the addition of the Guardians will undoubtedly make the upcoming film the reigning champ for multi-character storylines.

How do you think Civil War will play into the future of the MCU? Sound off in the comments below!

Click the video below to see a preview for Marvel's next release, Doctor Strange.

Tags: Avengers 3 Marvel Movies