In an interview conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike's start, Chris Evans indicated he may not be done with Marvel just yet.
The Captain America (Steve Rogers) actor saw his MCU arc come to a close in Avengers: Endgame, passing alone the mantle to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson.
Despite this, fans have continuously asked Evans about if he would ever return to the MCU — questions he has said don't bother him.
Is Chris Evans Willing to Return to the MCU?
Speaking to GQ prior to the ongoing actors' strike in Hollywood, Chris Evans said that he would be willing to return to the MCU, but he noted that it would be "no time soon."
He reflected on his time playing Steve Rogers, saying "it was such a wonderful experience," which is why he is "very precious with it:"
"I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened."
Evans explained that he would be particular about the circumstances surrounding a return, meaning any possible comeback would be "no time soon:"
"And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon."
He went on to discuss his plans to step back from acting more generally, saying that while he feels he's "not lumped with other names that are at the top of the mountain in any way," he "feel[s] very satisfied:"
"And ultimately I really hope to just maybe act a little bit less in my life. I have a lot of other interests. Look, by no means have I climbed any sort of a mountain in this field. I have no Oscars and I’m not lumped with other names that are at the top of the mountain in any way. But I also feel very satisfied."
When Could Chris Evans Return?
With Evans looking to step away from acting more broadly, and with his care for ensuring any possible return is done right, it feels likely that he will not be appearing in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World.
Beyond that, the most likely place he could show up would be down the road in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars, possibly as a cameo or flashback if nothing else.
Either way, his presence in and impact on the franchise is still felt, be it through Sam and Bucky on Captain America and the Winter Soldier, Rogers the Musical from Hawkeye, or even She-Hulk's lock screen photo.
All of Chris Evans' MCU appearances are available to stream on Disney+.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
