It’s only been five years since the Avengers as we knew them split, but Marvel Studios is already hard at work on a reunion. Rumors that Marvel was working on getting the band back together have been swirling for years now — but it wasn’t until Robert Downey Jr. was tapped to play a variant of Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday that it truly seemed possible.
With Marvel’s ultimate crossover event, Avengers: Secret Wars, on the horizon, it makes a lot of sense for some famous faces to make a reappearance. Downey is likely just the first of many actors returning to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe: Benedict Cumberbatch recently confirmed that he’s set to reprise his role as Doctor Strange in Doomsday. But one other Avenger reported to return throws into question the state of mortality in the MCU.
According to TheWrap, Chris Evans is also slated to appear in Doomsday in some capacity. Evans’ return isn’t that surprising, especially after he reprised his role as Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine. To some, though, it might be a little disappointing. Fans have barely had any time to miss his Captain America, and there’s a chance he may be returning to play the same stalwart hero in both Doomsday and Secret Wars.
The scoop from TheWrap was light on details, as Evans’ specific role in the upcoming film has yet to be revealed. He could return as the Steve Rogers of the prime MCU timeline (aka Earth-616) somehow, or he could also follow in Downey’s footsteps and play a variant of the character. It’s the latter that makes the most sense, as Marvel’s focused on ending its Multiverse Saga with a bang. But that prospect is also the one thing that may make the return worthwhile, both for Evans and for audiences.
From the moment Evans departed the MCU as Old Man Steve Rogers, the actor has fielded questions about a potential return. While he’d “never say never” under the right circumstances, Evans always insisted that he was “protective” over the character, and would only reprise his role if the project felt right. In 2022, he even revealed that playing Johnny Storm again would be “an easier sell” than an offer to return as Steve.
“Cap is so precious to me, and I almost don’t want to disrupt what a beautiful experience that was,” he told MTV. “But Johnny Storm, I feel like he didn’t really get his day. That was before Marvel really found its footing.”
Deadpool & Wolverine might have inspired Evans to return in earnest. The film introduced a surprising sense of humor to the character, and there’s a chance we’ll get more of the same in Doomsday. The film could introduce a version of Captain America that’s the exact opposite of the character we expect: hopefully not the version that sided with HYDRA, but maybe one that’s not so much of a boy scout. There are plenty of Cap variants to choose from in the comics, from Earth X Steve Rogers (a much older, more complex hero from Earth-9977) to a gladiator Captain America (who fights alongside Devil Dinosaur in Battleworld, a key location in Secret Wars).
Doomsday might even take a page from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and feature a Cap variant from What If...? Evans could appear as the HYDRA Stomper, or “Rogers Hood” the version of Steve from the year 1602. Either way, his return may be the first of many, paving the way for a genuine Avengers reunion.
