Chris Evans is making a surprise return to the Marvel universe.
The actor, 43, has signed on for Avengers: Doomsday, according to a report published by The Hollywood Reporter on Monday, December 9.
Avengers: Doomsday is slated for a May 2026 release but it is unclear what role Evans will play in the film.
Evans appeared as Captain America (a.k.a. Steve Rogers) in 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe titles between 2011 and 2019.
His character, Rogers, put down his shield as the superhero in Avengers: Endgame. Due to this storyline, fans are wondering whether Evans would return as both Captain America/Steve Rogers, or just Steve Rogers, who no longer is holding the Captain America mantle.
Evans also made a cameo as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine earlier this year, leading to speculation he may be playing this character – or someone else entirely.
Appearing at the Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle in March this year, Evans weighed in on the idea of playing Captain America again.
At the time, he said a return to the MCU “doesn’t feel quite right” at the moment but teased, “I think there’s more Steve Rogers stories to tell.”
Evans shared how protective he is over his most famous character.
“But at the same time, I’m very, very precious with it,” Evans continued. “It’s like this little shiny thing that I have that I love so much, and I just don’t want to mess up in any way. I was a part of something that was so special for a special period of time and, in a way, it really landed so well.”
During the panel Evans also revealed that 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the actor’s second foray as the masked crusader, was his favorite movie from the MCU.
“It’s my personal favorite Marvel movie that I was a part of,” he said. “It’s not just for the movie itself but the experience. The first film, I was so nervous. You know what you’re stepping into and as a result you’re playing defense and you’re playing not to lose. When Winter Soldier came around, we were playing to win.”
He also defended Marvel against criticism from people who like to take aim at superhero movies.
“Comic book movies in general, for whatever reason, don’t always get the credit I think they deserve,” Evans said during a panel discussion. “They are these big, giant movies. There’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen. But the empirical evidence is in. They are not easy to make.”
The actor added, “If it was easier, there would be a lot more good ones.”