Last year, Marvel staked out a number of future release dates for films that they declined to reveal.  There are currently two “Marvel Untitled” films set for release in 2016 and one for May 2017.  The mystery grew deeper when Warner Bros. threw the hammer down and shifted the release of its own highly anticipated superhero team-up Batman vs. Superman to May 6, 2016, the same date as Marvel's first untitled 2016 release.  There’s no way two major superhero tentpoles will be opening on the same weekend, so the question then became which film would blink first.

Just yesterday, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said Marvel has no plans to budge, and now we have a clearer picture of the Marvel vs. DC battle as the nature of the untitled May 2016 picture has been revealed: Captain America 3.  Hit the jump for more.

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Image via Marvel Studios

THR broke the news that Marvel’s film slated for release on May 6, 2016 is a third Captain America film.  This isn’t altogether surprising, since the sequel Captain America: The Winter Soldier is currently enjoying immensely positive buzz and The Winter Soldier directors Joe and Anthony Russo have already been enlisted to return and helm the follow-up.  In fact, the brothers recently told us that they’re currently breaking the story for Captain America 3 with The Winter Soldier screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, but will be looking to see how audiences respond to The Winter Soldier to see if any tweaks to their take will be needed.

The director search is heating up for Doctor Strange, another film set for release in Marvel’s Phase Three, but the studio intends for the Strange director to work with a writer on the project, so it didn’t seem feasible that the supernatural film could be ready in time for May 2016.  It’s more likely that the untitled Marvel film slated for July 8, 2016 will be Doctor Strange, but again, the studio will ensure that everything’s progressing nicely before announcing firm dates.  We shouldn't have to wait long, though, as Marvel will almost certainly reveal the titles of all of its untitled films at Comic-Con this summer.

Then there’s the matter of the DC standoff.  Director Zack Snyder is gearing up to begin production on the Man of Steel follow-up in the next couple of months, which gives Batman vs. Superman a jump on Captain America 3, which wouldn't begin production until very late this year or early next year at the earliest.  I know Feige said Marvel wouldn’t be budging from that May release date—a date that has historically been held by Marvel films for a very, very long time—but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Cap 3 pushed to June or July and the other untitled Marvel film pushed to November.

If you need a refresher, take a look at Marvel’s current, official slate of films listed below.  Phase Three will kick off with Ant-Man, and it now appears that the second Phase Three film will be Captain America 3.

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Image via Marvel