Captain America 4 star Anthony Mackie jokes about Chris Evans' retirement as Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor plays Sam Wilson, who is now officially the new Captain America in the franchise. He inherits the mantle from Evans' Rogers who wielded the iconic shield for almost a decade until he passed it on to his trusted friend and fellow veteran in Avengers: Endgame.

Despite being Rogers' personal pick to be the next Star-Spangled Avenger, it took a while before Sam actually accepted the role. For a time, the shield was wielded by John Walker/U.S. Agent, as shown in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, now that Sam has embraced his position as the new hero, Marvel Studios will continue developing his arc via his own film, Captain America: New World Order. Still, questions about Rogers' potential MCU return persist, especially since the character is technically still alive at the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame.

Related: It's Good Chris Evans Isn't Returning For Captain America 4

When asked about Evans' retirement as Rogers, Mackie was able to evade giving a substantial update by joking about it instead in a new interview with E! News. According to the actor, his former MCU co-star and real-life friend has moved on from Marvel Studios. Read his full answer below:

Chris is so far gone from Marvel. Like, Marvel is not even in his radius. He's so far gone. He's enjoying life. He's like an old retired dude.

Can Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers Actually Return To The MCU?

Unlike Iron Man, whose fate was definitive in Avengers: Endgame, Rogers' story was left a bit more open-ended. At the close of the Joe and Anthony Russo-directed film, the First Avenger went back further in time to reunite with Peggy Carter after returning all the Infinity Stones used during the Hulk's reverse snap. Marvel Studios hasn't fully clarified what happened to Old Man Steve Rogers, which in turn has fueled theories about his possible return. In any case, the fact that Rogers hasn't been killed on screen makes it fairly easy for Marvel Studios to bring him back whenever they need him.

Still, it's best not to expect Rogers to return to the MCU anytime soon. While Mackie was joking about his answer, there is some truth to it. Evans has been busy building his career outside the superhero sandbox, starring in a variety of projects such as the Russos' The Gray Man and Pixar's Lightyear. Aside from this, Marvel Studios likely won't want to bring him back in the foreseeable future as it establishes Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. This doesn't mean that Evans will never return to the franchise, but it's safe to say that it won't be for a long while, and certainly not in Captain America 4.

Source: E! News