Next year (depending on when these WGA and SAG strikes get worked out), we’re expected to see Anthony Mackie finally take on the role of Captain America in a Marvel Studios film. Years after he is given the shield in “Avengers: Endgame” and after he accepts the role in “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” Mackie is finally ready to fully lead the MCU in “Captain America: Brave New World.” That said, there are still plenty of Marvel fans already anxiously awaiting the return of the previous Captain, Chris Evans. But according to the actor, don’t hold your breath.
Speaking in a long interview with GQ, Chris Evans was asked about the possibility of a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor’s final appearance was in the aforementioned “Avengers: Endgame,” which was released in 2019. Shown to have aged into a very old man, Steve Rogers (Evans) passes on the shield to the aforementioned Sam Wilson (Mackie). But this is Marvel, where the multiverse is alive and well and films like “Avengers: Secret Wars” could feature so many variations of characters, Marvel wouldn’t even have to try very hard to justify a return. That said, Evans isn’t ready to commit to a return. At least, not anytime soon.
“Yeah, maybe,” Evans said about an MCU comeback. “I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon.”
Of course, even if he doesn’t return to the MCU, Evans explained how he feels like he’s already won the Super Bowl by even being a part of the phenomenon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And though many fans would put him right up there with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Iron Man as the foundation of the franchise, Evans doesn’t necessarily hold himself in that high regard.
“You kind of feel like you were just lucky enough to go along for the ride,” he explained. “It’s like winning the Super Bowl, but you weren’t Tom Brady. I mean, you were on the team. You might have had a couple good plays, but it’s not your victory to own. You are a part of it, which is wonderful. And you’re a part of a cultural phenomenon.”
He added, “That was the beauty of working on Marvel films. You never really had to be front and center. Even in your own films sometimes. Quentin Tarantino said it recently, and I was like, you know, he’s right. The character is the star. You’re there, but you don’t feel the burden of it.”
Obviously, Chris Evans isn’t the sole reason why the MCU is the biggest franchise in film history. Nor is Robert Downey, Jr. That said, there’s no denying the impact the three “Captain America” films had on the culture, and what his appearance in the “Avengers” films did for the franchise. I mean, let’s be real—he’s the guy who said, “Avengers… assemble.”
If you want to see Chris Evans in a new film, you can see “Pain Hustlers,” which arrives in theaters on October 20 before it hits Netflix on October 27.
