Chris Evans will be returning to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, and the most popular choice for his new Marvel character could finally pay off a nine-year-old quote from 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Following his recent return as Johnny Storm's Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine, Chris Evans is set to take on a role opposite Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and a slew of MCU heroes in Avengers: Doomsday. The Russo brothers' 2026 movie, however, could put a dark spin on Chris Evans' Captain America.
While Chris Evans has been revealed to be returning in Avengers: Doomsday, the extent and nature of his mysterious role hasn't been revealed. This has sparked theories suggesting who else Chris Evans could play in the MCU, if not the original Steve Rogers' Captain America. Following Robert Downey Jr.'s recasting from Iron Man to Doctor Doom, it's very possible that more MCU veterans could return as dark and sinister villains. Chris Evans' most popular supervillain recast could perfectly pay off a tease from Phase 2.
Chris Evans’ Most Popular Return Theory Brings An Evil Captain America Into The MCU
Chris Evans Could Play HYDRA's Captain America
Following in the footsteps of Robert Downey Jr.'s return as a formidable Marvel villain, Chris Evans has been heavily theorized to be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday as an evil iteration of Captain America. Back in 2016, Marvel Comics introduced a version of Steve Rogers from a twisted alternate reality who had been indoctrinated by HYDRA at a young age. This evil Steve Rogers replaced the original Captain America and used his new position to restore HYDRA's former power. This would be a fantastic character for Chris Evans to play in Avengers: Doomsday.
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I Know Which Version Of Steve Rogers Chris Evans Should Play In Avengers: Doomsday (& It’s Not HYDRA’s Captain America)
Chris Evans has been rumored to be returning to the MCU as HYDRA's Captain America, but I reckon it would be better to see him as a different version.
The MCU's Captain America already delivered a tease towards HYDRA's version of the Star-Spangled-Man, hailing HYDRA during the Time Heist in Avengers: Endgame so that Brock Rumlow and Jasper Sitwell would hand over Loki's scepter, which contained the Mind Stone. However, since HYDRA's Captain America hasn't properly been seen in the MCU yet, it's very possible Chris Evans could bring this terrifying villain to life in Avengers: Doomsday. Interestingly, this casting could pay off a nine-year-old tease from way back in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
MCU’s Evil Captain America Would Call Back To Avengers: Age Of Ultron
Steve Rogers Teased His Dark Side In Avengers: Age Of Ultron
Although Avengers: Age of Ultron perhaps didn't deliberately try to set up Chris Evans' turn as a villain in the MCU, one quote might have teased his eventual recasting as an evil version of Captain America. While Tony Stark and Steve Rogers are chopping wood at the Barton household in Age of Ultron, they discuss Stark's secrecy and the Scarlet Witch's manipulation of the Avengers team. Stark comments that Rogers "walked away alright," noting that he doesn't "trust a guy without a dark side," to which Rogers replies that maybe he just "[hasn't] seen it yet."
This quote could have been paid off in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, which pitted Captain America and Iron Man against each other with Bucky Barnes' Winter Soldier stuck in the middle. However, Civil War didn't really put Rogers' "dark side" on display, as he was simply trying to help his best friend. Avengers: Doomsday has the perfect opportunity to fully show off Steve Rogers' dark side by recasting Chris Evans as a HYDRA-indoctrinated version of Captain America, who would be a seriously threatening adversary in Phase 6.
Robert Downey Jr. & Chris Evans’ Reunion In Avengers: Doomsday Is Already Set To Be Brilliant
Robert Downey Jr. Will Play Doctor Doom In Avengers: Doomsday
It was brilliant to see the friendship between Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and Chris Evans' Steve Rogers develop and change over the course of the MCU's Infinity Saga. Marvel Studios could pull off something similar with the pair's new characters in Avengers: Doomsday, particularly if both portray formidable villains. There has been speculation that Downey Jr. and Evans' returns could signify the introduction of an evil Avengers team in Avengers: Doomsday, twisting the MCU's original line-up, which would give these MCU veterans the chance to play opposite each other again.
Robert Downey Jr. was confirmed to be returning to the MCU during Marvel Studios' presentation at July 2024's SDCC, where the Russo brothers were also revealed to be coming back to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans originally departed the MCU in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, and both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers had poignant and emotional endings. It would be a mistake for these perfect conclusions to be rewritten, but bringing Downey Jr. and Evans back as twisted villainous versions of their classic heroes would easily solve this issue. It will have been seven years since Endgame when Avengers: Doomsday releases in 2026, so the excitement about seeing Downey Jr. and Evans back on-screen together will be incredibly high.
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert DOwney Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Release Date February 14, 2025
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Release Date July 25, 2025
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Release Date July 24, 2026
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