Robert Downey Jr. isn’t the only “retired” Marvel hero returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
According to a report in TheWrap, Chris Evans will also appear in the upcoming Avengers sequel, Avengers: Doomsday. Downey, who previously starred as Iron Man in the MCU, will now play Doctor Doom in Marvel’s latest phase.
TheWrap says “Evans will be involved in some capacity, but the extent and exact nature of his role is unknown.” Evans played the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, starting in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.
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Evans has already made one return to the MCU, albeit in unexpected form. In last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine, he made a surprise appearance — but not as Captain America. Instead he played Johnny Storm, the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four, a role he previously portrayed in two movies for 20th Century Fox. (When Disney acquired Fox, they not only acquired the rights to Deadpool, they also acquired the rights to the Fantastic Four. Marvel is currently in production on their own Fantastic Four movie as well.)
Because Avengers: Doomsday and all of Marvel’s recent movies, are part of a large multiverse story, there are endless ways Evans could appear in the film without undoing the ending of Avengers: Endgame, where his character grew to old age and retired from superheroing. He could play Steve Rogers from an alternate timeline — perhaps even from one where Rogers becomes a super-villain, in much the same way Downey will now be playing Doom instead of Iron Man.
Avengers: Doomsday is currently scheduled to open in theaters on May 1, 2026.
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