Chris Evans Mulls Possible MCU Return as Captain America

Anyone even remotely familiar with comic books knows that superheroes never die. Peter Parker’s beloved Uncle Ben may be forever pushing up daisies, but if even Jason Todd and Bucky Barnes can return from the grave, then nobody is gone forever. That might even be true for live-action (at least, in Disney-owned properties), as Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing appeared in Star Wars films after their deaths and even a young Mark Hamill popped up in The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett.

With these possibilities out there, it’s no wonder that so many Marvel fans hope to see Chris Evans once again as the star-spangled man with a plan. Evans’s Steve Rogers retired the Captain America persona at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Having defeated Thanos alongside the departed Iron Man and other Marvel heroes, Cap ends his cross-time mission to return the infinity stones by rejoining his beloved Peggy Carter in the 1940s, where the two seemingly lived happily ever after.

While on the press tour for another unlikely Disney feature, Pixar’s Lightyear, Comicbook.com asked Evans about the possibility of more live-action stories in which he plays Cap. “I don’t want to disappoint anybody, but I just don’t…” Evans began to say, hemming and hawing as he tried to explain. “To revisit it,” he said with a wince, “It would be a tall order.”

As he considered the question, it was clear that Evans still had affection for the character. “It was such a good run, and I am so happy with it, and it’s so precious to me,” Evans said, searching for the right words. “It would have to be perfect,” he stated, punctuating his declaration with a fluttering hand gesture.

Whatever Evans’s misgivings may be, it’s clear that the MCU will not be going without a Captain America. Before retiring, Rogers passed his shield onto partner Sam Wilson. And while Sam initially rejected the call, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with him becoming the new Captain America. To that end, Marvel is currently developing a fourth Captain America movie, with Anthony Mackie’s Sam in the title role. And beyond Sam, Marvel also has the disgraced Captain America John Walker aka USAgent, former Captain America Isaiah Bradley, and Captain Carter, the super-soldier version of Peggy Carter from an alternative reality.

However, as this interview reminds us, the return of Steve Rogers would not necessarily supplant Sam Wilson or any other patriotic supersoldier. The new adventures of Evans’s Cap could follow him as he returns the infinity stones to their rightful place after Endgame, and before reuniting with Peggy.

“Yeah, that seems to be something that people would like to see,” Evans acknowledged, but not even that possibility seemed to meet his criteria. “That role means so much to me, that to revisit it – that would be a tall order.”

Evans certainly seems certain in his reluctance to return. But as Star Wars has also taught us, no matter how adamant an actor may be that a role is behind them, they can never say never.