To be a superhero, even in fiction, one has to put in the work. Someone like Dwayne Johnson isn’t just naturally jacked—despite what he specifically leads many to believe. That kind of physique required time, patience, and effort. Lots of it. It’s easy to assume movie stars just come fit and ready to fight the world’s evil. However, they have to first hit the gym.
Recently, The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Will Poulter hinted that the entire process of getting fit for his role of Adam Warlock wasn’t the best experience. He mentioned how the entire process is only possible because of Studio backing and how it’s not necessarily something the general populace can do on the same level.
So what happens when a superhero retires? Well, in the case of Chris Evans, the answer is losing a lot of weight.
Captain America's Major Weight Loss
In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Chris Evans commented on how his life has been different since hanging up Captain America's shield in Avengers: Endgame.
The actor noted how it's been "a literal weight off," having "shed like 15 pounds" since he last had to embody Steve Rogers:
“A literal weight off. I’ve shed like 15 pounds. Every time people see me, they say, ‘You okay? You lost a bit of weight.’ Yeah, I haven’t had to hit the gym as hard.”
Evans has commented on getting in shape, and gaining or losing weight, in the past. Previously, during an interview with Yahoo Movies, Evans noted how "[he] seems[] to be able to kind of shed and add [weight] pretty quick.
“I’m lucky — or unlucky, however you want to look at it — that I can gain or lose weight relatively quickly,” Evans told Yahoo Movies at the Los Angeles press day for Gifted, where he was joined by his young costar. “I think it changes as I get older, but as of now I seem to be able to kind of shed and add pretty quick."
The actor continued, saying how "[his] body doesn't want to be that big:"
“My body doesn’t want to be that big... I naturally walk around at a much lighter weight... [So when it comes to an everyman-type role], [I just stop] working out, maybe cut back on a few meals. And in a few weeks I’m back to being a skinny weenie.”
When Might Steve Rogers Return?
It’s a little sad to think that the man being Steve Rogers has lost his form, but it’s hard to blame him. He did his time and deserves a breather. The real question is - when will Evans return to the role? Sadly, there’s no answer—but reports suggest he will return in a project down the line.
Last time audiences saw the hero, he had just returned all of the Infinity Stones and handed his shield to Anthony Mackie’s now Captain America. That’s not to mention how Rogers had become a grandpa in the process.
Thankfully, Avengers: Endgame has a built-in method to de-age the iconic hero back to his glory days thanks to the team's experimentation with time travel. It’s only a matter of time; Evans should probably start mentally preparing himself to get those pounds back.
