Chris Evans Confirms No Return to Marvel's Avengers

Chris Evans, the beloved star who brought Captain America to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has firmly debunked rumors about his return in the upcoming film "Avengers Doomsday" or any other MCU project. Despite reports suggesting his comeback alongside fellow original Avenger Robert Downey Jr., Evans clarified to Esquire that these claims are "not true."

This clarification came after Anthony Mackie, who succeeded Evans as Captain America following the character's retirement in "Avengers Endgame," shared that he had been told by his manager that Evans might return. However, Mackie directly asked Evans about these rumors, to which Evans replied, "Oh, you know, I’m happily retired."

When confronted with the conflicting reports, Evans reiterated his stance to Esquire, stating, "That’s not true, though... This always happens. I mean, it happens every couple years, ever since Endgame. I’ve just stopped responding to it. Yeah, no. Happily retired."

It's worth noting that Evans did make a brief return to the MCU universe, albeit in a different role. He reprised his character Johnny Storm from the Fox universe in "Deadpool & Wolverine," which was more of a comedic cameo than a continuation of his Captain America storyline.

Meanwhile, the MCU faces uncertainties following the dismissal of Jonathan Majors, who played Kang and was set to be the franchise's next major antagonist akin to Thanos. Majors was removed from future projects after being found guilty of assault and harassment, prompting Marvel to pivot and announce Doctor Doom as the new central villain, to be portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. This shift sparked speculation about the return of other original Avengers, though no official confirmations have been made beyond Downey Jr.'s involvement.

In other MCU news, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange, will not be part of "Avengers Doomsday" but is set to have a "central role" in its sequel, "Avengers Secret Wars." The film will be directed by the Russo Brothers and continue to explore multiverse themes, with Hayley Atwell's Agent Carter also rumored to appear.