SAN DIEGO: Chris Evans has revealed why he decided to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for Avengers: Doomsday, saying the decision came only after years of turning down multiple ideas from Marvel Studios.
Speaking during San Diego Comic-Con, the actor shared that he was determined not to return as Steve Rogers unless the story truly felt right.
Marvel Kept Pitching New Ideas
Evans said Marvel Studios approached him shortly after the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, hoping to continue Steve Rogers’ journey.
He recalled that Marvel Studios co-president Louis D’Esposito and Marvel chief Kevin Feige invited him to dinner to discuss future projects.
“When we finished Endgame, Lou and Kevin took me to dinner and said, ‘We’d love to keep doing movies with Steve Rogers as Nomad.'”
Curious about the concept, Evans asked what they had planned.
“I said, ‘Okay, well, what do you got?'”
Years of Saying “Not Yet”
Although Evans praised every proposal Marvel presented, none convinced him to return immediately.
“They showed me a pitch, and it was a great pitch, but for whatever reason, it just didn’t feel right at the time.”
The actor admitted he wanted to protect Steve Rogers’ legacy after the emotional ending of Avengers: Endgame.
“I was a little precious. I wanted to preserve it. But I just said, ‘Please keep pitching.'”
According to Evans, Marvel continued presenting fresh ideas over the years.
“Over the course of eight years, I probably heard at least a dozen pitches. They were all wonderful. It just never quite felt right.”
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Trailer Finally Released
Robert Downey Jr. Helped Change His Mind
Evans revealed that everything changed after hearing reports that Robert Downey Jr. was also in discussions with Marvel.
“I got a phone call from my team saying there’s a rumor Robert Downey Jr. is talking to Marvel, and I was like, ‘Uh-oh. What does this mean?'”
Soon afterward, Joe Russo, who is co-directing Avengers: Doomsday, presented Evans with a new storyline.
“Joe Russo gave me the pitch, and Downey was on board. It just all of a sudden… it was like, ‘This is it.'”
Evans Won’t Return for Just Any Project
Despite agreeing to return, Evans emphasized that he has no intention of making casual appearances in the MCU.
“It’s a never-say-never, but I’m certainly not willing to just jump back in for anything because I think everyone here is precious with their role in the universe.”
The actor said any future appearance would need to serve the story and respect the legacy of Steve Rogers.
With Evans officially returning for Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel fans are eagerly waiting to see how Captain America fits into the next chapter of the MCU.
