Chris Evans 'Isn't Done' With Captain America, Says Joe Russo

Screen Rant

Chris Evans 'Isn't Done' With Captain America, Says Avengers 4 Director

By Derek Stauffer

Published Nov 29, 2018

Despite a public goodbye message to Captain America, Avengers 4 co-director claims Chris Evans isn't done, hinting he may appear again in the MCU.

Chris Evans is "not done yet" with the role of Captain America according to Avengers 4 co-director Joe Russo. There's been speculation that the still unnamed Avengers sequel would be Evans' swan song as Captain America for years. This was seemingly confirmed by the actor himself on his Twitter account. When Evans wrapped filming on Avengers 4, he penned an emotional thank you letter to fans commemorating his time as Captain America. Though Evans didn't spoil Cap's fate in the follow-up to Avengers: Infinity War, he did heavily imply there would be finality to Steve Rogers' story in Avengers 4.

However, fans might be jumping too quickly to that conclusion. It's confirmed that Avengers 4 co-director Joe Russo and his brother Anthony Russo will use Avengers 4 as their retirement from the MCU. This will bring to an end the journey the director duo started with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Evidently, though, Evans won't be as free to walk away from the MCU and Captain America as the Russo brothers.

In an interview with USA Today, Joe Russo was asked to comment on Evan's goodbye and why it came across as so emotional. Russo's answer was unsurprisingly cryptic and did little to spoil Avengers 4's plot, but it did contradict the assumption that many took from Evans' tweet. Discussing Avengers 4 wrapping filming Russo said:

I think it was more emotional for [Chris Evans] than it was for us, mostly cause he’s not done yet. I don’t want to explain what I mean, but audiences will soon understand.

On the surface, Russo’s comments seem to confirm that Avengers 4 won’t be Evans’ last appearance. This is not only despite Evan’s own comments, but the actor’s contractual obligations. According to Evans’ current MCU contract, Avengers 4 is his last movie in the universe. The contract can always been re-negotiated and extended. Evans previously extended the contract to include Avengers 4. However, if a deal does exist to extend Evans’ time as Captain America, it hasn’t been made public.

There’s also the possibility that Russo’s comments are intentionally misleading. Evans not being done with the Captain America role could mean the actor will have to confront his time as the character immediately before and after the release of Avengers 4 much more than Russo will have to discuss being a director. Between the press tour leading up to Avengers 4's release and the interviews that will inevitably be held after the movie’s release, Evans will be dealing with the role of Cap for a long time to come. Unlike the Russo brothers, who are less known to the mainstream public, Evans can’t just slip into anonymity.

Russo’s comment that fans will “soon understand” does imply, though, that there is some story reason for why Evans isn’t done with Captain America. This is pure speculation but perhaps Avengers 4 won't conclude with a very final fate for Steve Rogers. Despite the wide-held belief that the movie will see Steve Rogers make the ultimate sacrifice, Captain America could survive. Avengers 4 might end with Cap getting a happy, or at least bittersweet, ending. Avengers 4 could be crafted as a finale for Captain America but still leave the door open for the character to return if (or when) Evans decides to come back to the MCU.