Chris Evans appears to be addressing rumors that he will be reprising his role as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a new profile of Anthony Mackie for Esquire, ahead of the release of Captain America: Brave New World, Evans denied recent reports claiming he would return as Steve Rogers in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.
“That’s not true,” Evans, 43, said when asked about the December 2024 report, clarifying that similar rumors have circulated “every couple of years” since he last played the role in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
“I’ve just stopped responding to it,” Evans continued, joking, “Yeah, no — happily retired!”
Marvel fans may recall that Sam Wilson (Mackie, 46) took up the Captain America mantle in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier after serving as the original Captain America’s sidekick, Falcon. He will continue as the new Captain America in the upcoming Brave New World.
Mackie laughed as he shared that he was unaware of any plans for Evans’ return, explaining, “I talked to Chris a few weeks ago and it wasn’t on the table then.”
“At least, he didn’t tell me it was on the table, because I asked him,” Mackie continued. “I was like, ‘You know, they said they’re bringing everyone back for [Doomsday]. Are you coming back?’”
“He goes, ‘Oh, you know, I’m happily retired,'” Mackie added.
In a surprising twist, Evans did return to the Marvel universe last year, reprising his role as Johnny Storm/Human Torch from the Fantastic Four films for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Regarding his time as Captain America, Evans previously addressed the rumors in a November 2023 appearance on The View, where he shared that he “always sees those reports” about his potential return as the iconic hero.
“Every couple months, someone says that they’re getting [Robert Downey Jr.] and [Chris] Hemsworth and Scarlett [Johansson], and everyone’s coming back,” he said. “No one’s spoken to me about it.”
In July 2024, at San Diego Comic-Con, it was confirmed that Downey, 59, would return to the MCU for the next two Avengers films, Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
However, Downey will not be reprising his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man, who perished in Endgame, but instead will appear as the villain Doctor Doom.
Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14.
