Avengers: Doomsday is gearing up to be the biggest event in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since Avengers: Endgame, and as such, it makes perfect sense for someone like Chris Evans, who recently appeared for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, to return for Doomsday too. If one thing is certain about the MCU, it is that anything is possible. To date, the mega franchise has been able to do things that have never been done in one shared universe, with an expansive multiverse, a whole host of heroes, and some truly terrifying villains.
However, despite everything that we know about the MCU and the fact that Marvel Studios keeps its actors on a tight leash, there are some things that just seem inevitable. Ever since the original Avengers went their separate ways in Avengers: Endgame, fans like myself have been anxiously awaiting the next big crossover moment, hoping that somehow, some way, they would bring back major heroes like Captain America. And when they confirmed Robert Downey Jr.'s role in the upcoming film, it added even more credibility to actors like Chris Evans coming back.
Chris Evans Said He's "Happily Retired" And Won't Return For Avengers: Doomsday
But here's the thing, Chris Evans has made a point of saying that he is not returning to the MCU. In a recent interview that Screen Rant reported on, Evans tried to dissuade rumors that he was part of Avengers: Doomsday, but his comments might just add to the rumors considering the obvious contradiction that they cause. While MCU actors saying that they don't know anything is par for the course, Evans' assertion that he is happily retired from the MCU seems a little redundant, considering the actor has actively acted in a way that contradicts that claim.
That’s not true, though. This always happens. I mean, it happens every couple years—ever since Endgame. I’ve just stopped responding to it... Yeah, no—happily retired!
Not to mention that several trade reports have listed Evans would in fact be returning to work on Doomsday, and he has plenty of friends in the MCU, plus the potential to take home a sizable paycheck for relatively little work in some sort of cameo. There are an abundance of reasons for Evans to come back and join the MCU for one more outing. But with Downey Jr. being announced to play Doctor Doom, it's unlikely that Marvel will announce details about other cameos or returning stars, as this is simply not how they market their movies, preferring instead to keep the cameos a surprise whenever possible.
Chris Evans Just Returned To The MCU 6 Months Ago For Deadpool & Wolverine
Which takes me to my next point. Chris Evans has already returned to the MCU just six months ago! His comments appear to completely dismiss this fact. Someone who has been happily retired since Endgame is not going to just pop up out of nowhere in Deadpool & Wolverine, play an alternative character, reprising the role of Johnny Storm from the 2005 The Fantastic Four movie, and then disappear into the Void again. His cameo in D&W came as a total surprise for most people, and it was a playful spin to have him being Johnny instead of Steve Rogers.
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This cameo highlights both the fact that Evans is not done with the MCU, and the fact that he thoroughly enjoyed bringing a new character to the MCU, and avoiding messing with the history and legacy of Steve Rogers. But as seen with RDJ, Evans doesn't need to come back as the Steve Rogers that we know and love. I just don't think it makes any sense for him to be "happily retired," and it seems more like a flippant response to try and avoid further questioning. But we have seen this before with people like Andrew Garfield when they were filming in secret for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Deadpool & Wolverine Proved Chris Evans Still Has Marvel Stories To Tell
The Multiverse Is A Big Place, And The MCU Needs To Capitilize On It Before It Ends
One of the most satisfying aspects of the Multiverse Saga, despite their being plenty of rough edges and missteps, is the fact that it has been able to close the book in previous Marvel sagas. The Fox X-Men movies, Blade, Elektra, and more have all had a chance to have their stories get closure through the MCU. And at the same time, it opens the door for more stories to be told with these classic superhero films. While Johnny Storm's story was wrapped up in a pretty definitive manner in D&W, that does not mean there is more room for Chris Evans to explore the stories, variants, and fun that the MCU has to offer.
Evans is a great actor, and someone who has the perfect build and personality to play a variety of characters that come straight out of a comic book. That is part of the reason he was cast as not one, but two Marvel superheroes, who both received widespread praise and admiration. And beyond that, he plays a great villain, as seen in movies like Knives Out, or another movie based on a graphic novel, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. So I really don't agree that Evans' time in the MCU is over and done with.
I'm Convinced Chris Evans Will Return To The MCU Just Not As The Same Steve Rogers
Steve Rogers Is No Longer Captain America In The MCU
Instead, I think it's possible that when Evans made a point of saying he is "happily retired," he may have been speaking for his version of Captain America. By the end of his time in the MCU, Steve Rogers was frequently at odds with the government to the point that he largely shed the title of Captain America. After Endgame, he leaves the broken and fractured world of the present to get his happily ever after, in the past, with his beloved Peggy Carter. On top of that, Sam Wilson has now stepped up to take over the role of Captain America, so there is no real need to bring Rogers back.
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But, it would be incredibly worthwhile to bring Chris Evans back to tackle a role that is more nuanced and provides the actor with a new challenge. Just like RDJ, Evans could play a villain, or join forces with The Fantastic Four, or do something that further enhances the movie. Evans was such an important part of the early MCU, it makes sense to bring him back alongside his co-star RDJ. But, it's fair to say Steve Rogers' time has ended. I just don't think that means the same thing as Chris Evans choosing not to return for Avengers: Doomsday.
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