Chris Evans says it's "not true" that he's returning as Captain America in Avengers: Doomsday: "Happily retired!"

Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers: Endgame
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Despite rumors to the contrary, Chris Evans says he's not returning as Captain America in the MCU.

Late last year, a report from TheWrap claimed that Evans would be reprising his role in Avengers: Doomsday, returning alongside Robert Downey Jr. (though he's coming back not as Iron Man but as Doctor Doom).

"That's not true, though," Evans told Esquire. "This always happens. I mean, it happens every couple years – ever since Endgame. I've just stopped responding to it." He added: "Yeah, no – happily retired!"

Evans returned to the MCU briefly in Deadpool and Wolverine, but as Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch. He hasn't played Captain America since giving up his shield in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson took over, embracing the mantle in 2021's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Mackie is soon headlining his own movie with the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, which also stars Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres and Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross, AKA Red Hulk.

As for Avengers: Doomsday, Downey Jr. is definitely returning, while Benedict Cumberbatch originally said his Doctor Strange wouldn't be part of the cast, then backtracked and said he would be returning in that movie after all. The Russo Brothers will be back to direct.

Brave New World arrives on February 14. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store for us, or have a marathon with our guide to watching the Marvel movies in order.

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

Read more
Chris Evans in Avengers: Endgame
Captain America star Chris Evans reportedly joins Robert Downey Jr. in MCU return for Avengers: Doomsday, but it's not clear who he's playing
Captain America in Avengers: Endgame
Marvel fan theories about Chris Evans's MCU return have already started, from Beyonder to Captain Hydra
Avengers: Doomsday
Captain America star Anthony Mackie says he really wants to work with Chris Evans again amid Avengers: Doomsday rumors
Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter dancing close together in Avengers: Endgame
Hayley Atwell and Chris Evans almost returned as Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers in their own movie, but instead they'll reunite in Avengers: Doomsday
Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie teases he's most excited for "the two worlds coming together and creating a super MCU" in the new Avengers movies
Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Benedict Cumberbatch is returning as Doctor Strange in Avengers: Doomsday alongside Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.
Latest in Marvel Movies
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame
The Russo brothers have an idea about Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars runtimes, and one might reach Avengers: Endgame's record
Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Fantastic Four: First Steps concept art contains an unexpected MCU Easter Egg that could change the Marvel movie completely
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Marvel star Vin Diesel might be teasing a Groot movie: "Disney wants their Planet X!"
Lewis Pullman as "Bob" in Thunderbolts
The first look at Thunderbolts' Sentry suit seemingly leaked in new Marvel merchandise
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Deadpool walking in front of a damaged store during the Marvel movie Deadpool and Wolverine.
There's a moment in Deadpool and Wolverine involving Spider-Man that you might have misinterpreted
Robert Downey Jr. during the Doctor Doom announcement at Marvel's SDCC 2024 panel
The Russo brothers tease the "incredible opportunity" of returning for Avengers 5 and 6: "We want to beat those younger versions of ourselves"
Latest in News
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds' story is as divisive as expected: some players hate the "relentless on rails handholding," others love the build-up to "the best scene in Monster Hunter history"
The Last of Us season 2 first look
Pedro Pascal says "beautiful" scene that made him want to join The Last of Us got cut, but it’ll thankfully appear in season 2: "He was like, ‘That’s half the reason I’m here!’"
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds art director and 20-year series vet says the new game intentionally leans into a question fans have debated forever: "What is a hunter?"
Absolum
The other devs behind the best retro beat-em-up in recent memory are making a co-op roguelike brawler that "channels the spirit" of Capcom's classic D&D games
Battlefield Bad Company 2
"I am freaked out by how much might actually have been accurate": Battlefield Bad Company 3 writer unearths forgotten script
Skyrim
Skyrim is still an all-time great for asset reuse: this hunk of human flesh could be some poor guard's glute, or probably just a piece of repurposed beef