In 2019, Chris Evans made an impactful exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The finale of Avengers: Endgame sees Steve Rogers travel back in time to be with the woman he loves, and in leaving the 21st century Captain America an old man, the franchise moved on to a future without him. Despite this wonderful conclusion, some fans are continuously insistent that the character make a comeback – but Evans has explained why now is not the time for that to happen.
The convention C2E2 was held in Chicago this past weekend, and Chris Evans spoke about his future as Steve Rogers while appearing as a guest at a panel (via Variety). He was asked about returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and while he made it clear that he would be open to return to his superhero franchise one day, he explained that he is too “precious” with the role to see it rapidly brought back. Said Evans,
It’s tough, because look, I love that role deeply. He means so much to me, and I really do. I think there’s more Steve Rogers stories tell, sure. But at the same time, I’m very, very precious with it… it’s like this little shiny thing that I have that I love so much, and I just don’t want to mess up in any way, and I was a part of something that was so special for the special period of time and in a way, it really landed so well.
As the timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has marched on, it hasn’t been made clear what happened to Steve Rogers after his final scene in Avengers: Endgame. In the Disney+ original series The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, it was revealed that there is a rumor going around that Steve is living on the moon, but it’s unclear if that’s just a wild conspiracy theory or the result of an information leak (either one is possible in the sci-fi/fantasy canon).
Thanks to magic and technology, one could argue that the door is always open for Chris Evans to make a comeback as Steve Rogers, but he doesn’t think now is the time, and he maintains a strong appreciation for everything that the character is:
As much as I’m connected to that role and love telling those stories and working with those people, it doesn’t quite feel right right now… The more you make those movies, the more research you do prior to the film, the more you realize you become a fan… you start to see these amazing characters and great stories. You have all these creative people coming together, trying to operate on the same intangible idea.
Of course, just because we’re not seeing the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers anytime soon doesn’t mean that we’re not seeing more of Captain America. The events in the aforementioned The Falcon And The Winter Soldier see Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson come to terms with taking on the mantle that Steve passes down to him, and he is now the canon Cap in the MCU. We’ll soon see him as the titular hero in his own solo film, as Captain America: New World Order is scheduled to start filming soon in advance of a May 3, 2024 release date – the project featuring a stellar supporting cast that includes Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Shira Haas, and Harrison Ford.
You can read more about the blockbuster and everything else that Marvel Studios has in development for the big screen via our Upcoming Marvel Movies guide, and our Upcoming Marvel TV feature has you covered with all of the info you need on the Disney+ side of things.