Though he’s now widely considered to be a resolute pillar of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans initially turned down the role of Captain America… twice.
In anticipation of Avengers: Endgame and its three-hour long spectacle, The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Evans to discuss all things MCU, including the impending finale of Phase 3.
And while Endgame naturally occupied most of the conversation, Evans recalled the moment when he turned down Marvel’s initial offer because it seemed too good to be true. We kid you not; fresh off Fantastic Four, Evans was a little apprehensive about dipping his toe into superhero waters once more. But eventually, he saw the light. And picked up that famous shield.
Getting the [Captain America] offer felt to me like the epitome of temptation. The ultimate job offer, on the biggest scale. I’m supposed to say no to this thing. It felt like the right thing to do. You see the pictures, and you see the costumes, and it’s cool. But I’d now woken up the day after saying no and felt good, twice.
He’s by no means the only Avenger to get cold feet; Chris Hemsworth previously admitted that he had to think long and hard before stepping into the shoes of Thor Odinson, while Emily Blunt, star of Edge of Tomorrow and A Quiet Place, flat-out declined the role of Black Widow – a role that would later go to Scarlett Johansson.
Evans, on the other hand, looks set to close out his Captain America arc in the most spectacular way possible, which will surely leave the door open for Carol Danvers to take center stage.
Avengers: Endgame opens big April 26th. And it’ll seemingly reduce us to blubbering wrecks. Or so says Chris Evans…