I've Worked Out Exactly What Version Of Steve Rogers Chris Evans Should Play In Avengers: Doomsday And Y'All Are Not Ready

2 weeks ago 7

I know exactly who Chris Evans should play in Avengers: Doomsday and people aren't going to be ready for how exciting it could be. While it's recently been reported that the original Captain America actor is set to return to the MCU in the next Avengers movie, it's not yet been confirmed in what capacity, or if he'll even be playing the same version of Steve Rogers fans know and love. With that in mind, I'm confident that the best option comes from the comics (while also being one of the darkest).

As originally reported by The Wrap, Chris Evans has joined the cast of Avengers: Doomsday in an undisclosed role. With that in mind, it's quite possible that Evans could end up playing a variant of Steve Rogers, not unlike his role in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine where he played a version of his original Marvel character, Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch. As such, I think I've figured out the perfect role for Chris Evans in Avengers: Doomsday, one that would be very exciting that also doesn't mess with the original Captain America's perfect ending that was seen in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

How Steve Rogers's Story Ended In Avengers: Endgame

Passing On The Shield And Getting His Dance

As seen at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers went back in time to return the six Infinity Stones the Avengers had taken from different points in the past to bring back those Thanos had erased in Avengers: Infinity War (as well as Thor's hammer, Mjolnir). However, Steve chose not to return to the present-day MCU as expected. Instead, Captain America chose to stay in his original time in the 1940s to get his happy ending with Peggy Carter and to finally have the dance he promised her before he went into the ice.

"It would be incredibly risky for Marvel Studios to try and bring back this original version of Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday..."

That being said, an elderly Steve Rogers arrives shortly after his younger self leaves to hand off his shield to Sam Wilson, offering his blessing for Sam to become the MCU's next Captain America. While he didn't share the details, the implication is that Steve lived a long and happy life with Peggy, receiving the happy ending he deserved. As such, it would be incredibly risky for Marvel Studios to try and bring back this original version of Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday ,especially considering just how perfect his ending was.

I'd Love To See Chris Evans Play An MCU Villain In Avengers: Doomsday

Chris Evans As A Bad Guy Is Lots of Fun

Chris Evans in The Gray Man looking angry

Instead, I'm far more interested in seeing Chris Evans playing a villain with his imminent MCU return. After all, it'd be incredibly fun and dynamic to see the actor embody a role that would be so antithetical to the original Captain America, one of the most morally upstanding Marvel heroes of all time. Likewise, Evans has more than proven his ability to play charismatic and really fun villains, such as Ransom Drysdale in Rian Johnson's original Knives Out movie or as Lloyd Hansen in 2022's The Gray Man from the Russo Brothers (who are also returning to the MCU to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars).

It's also worth noting that the Russos had already announced at SDCC 2024 that Robert Downey Jr. is set to play Doctor Doom in the next Avengers movie, rather than returning to play Iron Man who died in Avengers: Endgame. As such, this further supports the idea that Evans' return could be similar where he's also coming back as a new villain to motivate a new assembly of Earth's Mightiest Heroes alongside Downey's Doom. To that end, perhaps other past actors could also return as villains like Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow.

My Avengers: Doomsday Theory Is That Chris Evans Is Playing Hydra's Captain America

Secret Empire's Hydra Supreme

Keeping the concept of Chris Evans as a villain in mind, I would love to see Evans bring the comics' Hydra Supreme to life in the MCU. As seen in 2017's Secret Empire comics event, Steve Rogers was replaced by a Captain America who was brought up as a Hydra sleeper agent, resulting from the Red Skull altering reality using a Cosmic Cube. Eventually taking control of Hydra altogether, this fascist Steve Rogers became "Hydra Supreme", taking over the country in a massive nationwide takeover.

Chris Evans as Captain America and Old Man Steve Rogers with Nomad from Marvel comics

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Of course, Hydra Supreme was eventually defeated and the original Captain America restored by the end of the Secret Empire crossover event. That said, this darker Captain America became a very popular alt-Steve Rogers, despite his brief tenure in the comics. Likewise, his initial debut when he shockingly says "Hail Hydra" after pushing Erik Selvig out of a plane gained national media attention, especially considering the swap had yet to be fully revealed.

Avengers: Endgame Already Paid Reference To Marvel Comics' Hydra Captain America

A Fun Easter Egg During The Time Heist

Steve Rogers hailing HYDRA in Avengers Endgame

It's also worth pointing out that Avengers: Endgame already referenced Hydra Supreme during the "Time Heist". Needing to get the Mind Stone from the Hydra agents embedded within SHIELD in 2012, Rogers convinces Agent Sitwell that he's one of them with a classic "Hail Hydra". He effectively uses his knowledge of the future to take the Infinity Stone without having to fight the secret Hydra plants in the elevator, just as Rogers did in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. As such, it can be seen as both a reference to Winter Soldier as well as Secret Empire.

Now, Chris Evans' return in Avengers: Doomsday could pay off Endgame's reference even further. Debuting as a darker, fascist version of the Rogers he once was would be very exciting. Perhaps the MCU's Hydra Supreme could come from a reality where Red Skull had the Mind Stone instead of the Tesseract, effectively allowing him to secretly corrupt and brainwash Captain America during WWII before he went into the ice. While simply conjecture, I personally believe and hope that Chris Evans's MCU should mirror Robert Downey's Jr.'s MCU return where he comes back as a villain, rather than the original Captain America (whose story should definitely be left alone).

Avengers: Doomsday is set to release in May of 2026.

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.

Release Date May 1, 2026

Main Genre Superhero

Writers Michael Waldron