Audiences found themselves curious if Chris Evans intends to return to his fan-favorite role as Captain America.
It may be hard to believe for some, but over five years have now passed since audiences last saw Chris Evans appear on-screen as Steve Rogers, the MCU’s first Captain America.
For those who, somehow, did not see 2019’s mega-blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, Rogers traveled back in time to 1948 to live his life with his one true love, Peggy Carter. He materialized at the end of the film in the present to hand off his vibranium shield to Sam Wilson so that he could carry on his legacy.
Is There a Chance Chris Evans Could Return to the MCU?
Given Chris Evans’ prolonged absence from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are hordes of viewers who long for his Captain America to make a grand return.
Recently, there have been rumors centering on more MCU appearances for Steve Rogers. Specifically, speculation surrounding a six-episode Disney+ series about Steve’s quest to put back the six Infinity Stones from whence they came has caught the attention of many portions of the fanbase.
It’s very important to note that no such series has been confirmed as being in development by Kevin Feige and the team at Marvel Studios, nor have any other projects that would bring back Evans’ Cap.
However, back in 2021, Deadline reported that Chris Evans was indeed expected to experience an MCU homecoming "in some form" but likely not in another Captain America solo movie. This report happened several years ago, though, and nothing concrete has yet come of it.
Evans himself was also quick to respond to the news at the time when he tweeted "news to me." Was this a genuine casting of doubt or a non-disclosure-agreement-induced deflection? Again, there have unfortunately been no further developments on the matter so it’s difficult to say for certain.
On top of that, in 2023, Evans confessed that he would be "hesitant" to go back to Marvel, noting that he is very "protective" of Steve Rogers and that playing Fantastic Four’s Human Torch again might be "an easier sell."
Does Steve Rogers Really Need To Come Back?
For nearly a decade, Chris Evans breathed life and humanity into the character of Captain America, more than cementing the hero as both a household name and a modern icon.
Along with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Evans’ Cap was the de facto "star" of the MCU. He led the Avengers, helped put down Loki, Hydra, Ultron, Zemo, and Thanos, and put his own life on the line time and time again for the safety of the planet, and ultimately, the universe.
For the longest time, fans believed that Steve, who came of age during World War II and doggedly tried to enlist in the army until he was accepted, simply couldn’t live without a war. It’s something that Ultron even quipped to him at one point.
Captain Rogers went from battle to battle, conflict to conflict for the majority of his MCU run. And when he was presented with the opportunity to give it all up and leave the fighting behind, he took it. Through the power of the Quantum Realm, he got his second chance with Peggy and presumably lived a quiet, happy life.
Now, Marvel has a new Captain America: Steve’s extraordinarily loyal friend Sam Wilson. And although Sam struggled with the choice to take on the mantle, he will proudly wear the red, white, and blue uniform in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World.
So, the question remains: Do audiences really and truly need Steve to return? Sure, many may want him to. But the character had an amazing story arc, arguably one of the Infinity Saga’s strongest.
To bring him out of retirement now, especially now that Sam wields the shield, would undermine that arc, and could be seen as disrespectful to Sam. Evans even admitted that such an event could prove "upsetting."
Anthony Mackie, who portrays Wilson, was nonetheless eager to act alongside Chris Evans again, as the two are good friends behind the scenes.
That all having been said, Marvel Studios is amid its Multiverse Saga. And through the storytelling power of visiting alternate realities, timelines, and universes, a case could be made for Chris Evans reprising Captain America in a brand new context.
In the meantime, viewers will be able to witness Anthony Mackie as Cap in all his glory in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, due out in theaters on February 14, 2025.
