Chris Evans, known for his role as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has firmly denied rumors of his return to the franchise in the upcoming film "Avengers: Doomsday" or any other project. In an interview with Esquire, Evans debunked a report from Deadline suggesting he would reprise his role alongside Robert Downey Jr., who is confirmed to return. "That's not true, though," Evans clarified, emphasizing his contentment with retirement from the MCU. "This always happens... I've just stopped responding to it. Yeah, no. Happily retired."
The confusion arose partly due to comments from Anthony Mackie, who succeeded Evans as Captain America. Mackie told Esquire he hadn't seen a script for "Avengers: Doomsday" but was informed by his manager that Evans might return. However, Mackie later spoke directly with Evans, who confirmed he had no plans to come back, stating, "I talked to Chris a few weeks ago and it wasn’t on the table then... He goes, 'Oh, you know, I’m happily retired'."
Despite his retirement from the MCU as Captain America, Evans did make a brief return to the Marvel universe, albeit in a different capacity. He reprised his role as Johnny Storm from the Fox universe in "Deadpool & Wolverine," which served as a more comedic side role compared to his iconic portrayal of Captain America.
The MCU is currently navigating a period of uncertainty, particularly following the dismissal of Jonathan Majors, who played Kang the Conqueror. Majors was set to be the franchise's next major antagonist akin to Thanos, but his removal after being found guilty of assault and harassment has left Marvel in a state of flux. In response, Marvel has announced that Doctor Doom, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., will take on the role of the new central villain.
Amidst these changes, speculation about other original Avengers returning has been rife, though no additional confirmations have been made. Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange, has confirmed he will not appear in "Avengers: Doomsday" but will have a "central role" in the subsequent film, "Avengers: Secret Wars." The Russo Brothers, who previously directed several Avengers films, are set to helm "Avengers: Secret Wars," which will continue exploring the multiverse narrative, with Hayley Atwell's Agent Carter also expected to feature.
