It seems hard to believe now after he spent almost a decade playing the character that quickly became established as the beating heart of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Chris Evans was initially very skeptical towards the idea of playing Captain America. The actor turned down the role twice for fear of being typecast for the rest of his career before eventually relenting, and it now seems impossible to imagine anyone else in the part.
Steve Rogers gracefully retired though during the events of Avengers: Endgame and got the happy ending with Peggy Carter that he always deserved, and the mantle of the star-spangled superhero has been passed on to Sam Wilson, with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s co-lead stepping into some pretty big shoes as he gets to grips with being the new Captain America.
Even though he only bowed out last year, there’s already been plenty of speculation that Evans could be tempted to reprise the role if the right project came along, something the 39 year-old hasn’t completely ruled out. And while he seems happy enough to forge ahead with the MCU in his rear-view mirror to explore new opportunities, in a recent interview, the Knives Out star admitted that he’s already starting to miss being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“There was this enormous expectation that these people already had in their minds, this idea of who this character was, and you have to respect that. Audiences are part of what will make these films work, and I owe that group my understanding of what they see. I absolutely loved my time with Marvel. I already miss it, but there’s no denying that it is very exciting to just have complete freedom to pursue whatever my creative appetite wants.”
It seems completely understandable that Evans would be feeling withdrawal symptoms having made ten appearances in the MCU, and frequently worked with the same cast and crew members over the years. However, you can also see why he’s happy to strike out on his own without being tied to a multi-picture contract that could potentially affect his availability for other roles that he really wants, and like most things in the world of comic book movies, a return as Captain America somewhere down the line can’t entirely be ruled out.