No one will know for sure if Chris Evans is stealing a page right out of Andrew Garfield’s playbook until Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters during the summer of 2026. Garfield outright lied about his involvement in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, but is the former Captain America actor doing the same? Evans recently revealed to good friend Anthony Mackie that he would not return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, unlike their costar Robert Downey Jr., who announced that he would be back at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con. One X, formerly Twitter, user (@wandasattorney) reacted hilariously to Evans telling Mackie that he was “happily retired” in a recent post by writing:

‘Happily retired!’ Bitch you were just in a Marvel movie [Deadpool & Wolverine as Johnny Storm] not even 6 months ago??

Supposedly, Chris Evans left his aging Steve Rogers/Captain America behind at the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame. After Steve returns the Infinity Stones to their proper locations in the past, he decides to make the most of the situation by remaining behind to live a life with the woman he loves, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). It was certainly a satisfying way to wrap up the beloved character’s storyline in the MCU, especially after the death of Tony Stark/Iron Man (RDJ), but then the news broke that Evans would be returning to Marvel.
Back in December 2024, over five years after his last appearance as Captain America in Avengers: Endgame, one of the most reputable trades in the industry reported Evans would be joining RDJ’s Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday — marking his return to the MCU. According to the story published by Deadline, Evans wouldn’t likely return as Captain America, according to unnamed sources, because Mackie would continue carrying on the mantle of Cap. Naturally, Marvel Studios had no comment on the matter, but when one considers the overall scope of the MCU future, now, Chris Evans is likely only a part of what is yet to come.
Buckle Up for What Is Likely a Full-Fledged ‘Avengers’ Reunion in 2026

It’s a safe bet that Chris Evans is likely lying about not being in Avengers: Doomsday, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s already plenty to be excited about without knowing if Evans will play Steve Rogers or another character altogether. After all, Anthony Mackie let the spoilery genie out of the bottle and revealed that “they’re bringing everyone back for the movie” in a recent (Jan. 30) interview with Esquire. The journalist behind the story brought up the fact that Deadline revealed Evans was returning for Avengers: Doomsday, to which Mackie responded by saying:

“I didn’t know! [Laughs] 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. I was like, ‘You know, they said they’re bringing everyone back for the movie. Are you coming back?'”

“Everyone” suggests that Scarlett Johansson and Paul Bettany are also returning for 2026’s Doomsday. Johannsson’s beloved Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff valiantly gave her life in Avengers: Endgame to obtain the Soul Stone, while Vision (Bettany) died at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War. Bettany reprising the role in Doomsday isn’t that much of a stretch, given that he’s returning to the role for the Vision Quest Disney+ show.
Certainly, very little is known about Avengers: Doomsday at this point, but fans should approach the making of such a project as the filmmakers (The Russo brothers) might. Their multi-billion-dollar achievements (Infinity War and Endgame) are going to be hard to live up to, but bringing “everyone” back for a full-fledged Avengers reunion in 2026 is a fantastic way to try. Robert Downey Jr. is locked in as Doctor Doom, plus, if fans think about it, Doomsday is perfectly set up by the conclusion of Endgame, even for Evans to return as Cap!

Related

Benedict Cumberbatch Contradicts His Own ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Spoiler…Is the Master of the Mystic Arts Playing Us?

Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch has been updating his previous comments on his absence from ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’

It makes much more sense for Evans to return as the younger Captain America, who journeyed into the past and ended up living his life with Peggy (Atwell). Professor/Smart Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) warned Cap at the conclusion of Endgame, “Remember, you have to return the [Infinity] Stones to the exact moment you got them, or you’re going to open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities.” Evans’ Captain America was such a good person, but what if his decision to live for himself in the past led to inextricable consequences?
Was Captain America able to put all the Infinity Stones back in the right place, at the right time, even with Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) hammer, Mjölnir, in his possession? Perhaps, this combination of dramatic story arc and character study is exactly what lured Evans back into the fold. If so, maybe Steve Rogers accidentally created the alternate reality that allows RDJ’s Doctor Doom to threaten the MCU’s heroes when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.