Avengers: Endgame wraps up Steve Rogers’ story in a bittersweet way, as the super-soldier goes back in time and lives out a happy life married to Peggy Carter. In the present, Old Man Steve hands his shield and the mantle of Captain America over to Sam Wilson. This is as final an end as you can get without killing the character off, but is there a chance Chris Evans could return to the MCU one day?
Perhaps, but we shouldn’t hold our breath. The Russo brothers were asked about this recently on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and explained that they believe the star has moved on from the part “emotionally.”
“No, I think Chris — Chris is a very emotional person,” Joe Russ explained. “I think, maybe it’s evident if you follow him on Twitter — because he does put his heart into what he says — but I feel like he has to close the door on things and emotionally move onto the next thing.”
“There are no plans,” clarified Anthony.
“I think for now he’s emotionally moved on, yes,” concluded Joe.
The Russos’ words gel with pretty much everything else we’ve heard about Evans saying goodbye to his iconic role, but they do conflict with something they’ve previously said. In the wake of what seemed to be a heartfelt farewell message to Cap from Evans on social media, Joe Russo swore that the actor wasn’t done with Marvel. This could’ve easily been the filmmaker trying to throw fans off the scent, but there could also be another explanation.
Reports have said that Evans may stay with Marvel but as a director. The Steve Rogers actor has long discussed his ambitions to go behind the camera and it’s thought the glut of TV shows coming to Disney Plus will give him the perfect opportunity to try his hand at that. Then again, if, as Russo says, Evans has “emotionally moved on,” maybe he’d prefer to put the franchise behind him completely.
In any case, it sounds like we’d best make the most of him in Avengers: Endgame and see it as many times in theaters as we can, as it may be the last time we witness him on the big screen as Captain America.