Chris Evans Confirms No Return to Marvel's Avengers

Chris Evans, the star known for his iconic role as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has firmly denied rumors of his return in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday or any other MCU projects. Speaking to Esquire, Evans dismissed a report by Deadline that suggested he would reprise his role alongside Robert Downey Jr., who is already confirmed to return. "That's not true," Evans stated, emphasizing that such rumors surface every few years since his departure in Avengers: Endgame. He reiterated his stance, saying, "I’ve just stopped responding to it. Yeah, no. Happily retired."

The confusion was partly fueled by comments from Anthony Mackie, who succeeded Evans as Captain America. Mackie mentioned to Esquire that he had not seen a script for Avengers: Doomsday but was informed by his manager about Evans' potential return. However, Mackie clarified that a recent conversation with Evans himself revealed no plans for a comeback. "I talked to Chris a few weeks ago and it wasn’t on the table then," Mackie said. "At least, he didn’t tell me it was on the table, because I asked him."

Despite his retirement from the MCU as Captain America, Evans did make a brief return in a different capacity, playing his former Fox character Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine. This appearance was more of a comedic cameo, contrasting his significant role in the MCU.

The MCU's future has faced uncertainty following the departure of Jonathan Majors, who played Kang the Conqueror. Majors was set to be the franchise's next major antagonist, akin to Thanos, but was removed after being found guilty of assault and harassment. This prompted Marvel to pivot, announcing Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, the new big bad, which in turn fueled speculation about other original Avengers returning, though no further confirmations have been made.

Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrays Doctor Strange, has confirmed he will not appear in Avengers: Doomsday but will have a "central role" in its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars. The Russo Brothers, known for directing previous Avengers films, are set to helm Secret Wars, which is expected to delve deeper into multiverse themes and include appearances from characters like Hayley Atwell's Agent Carter.