Chris Evans spent years in the role of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, and while the actor is grateful for the time, it seems like Evans wants to move on from that.
Not just from the iconic Marvel role but from acting full-time in general, as the actor tells GQ Magazine in a new interview that he’ll be acting less.
In the piece, he recalls joining Marvel at a crucial time, telling GQ:
“I remember in my late 20s having a real shift in how I felt on set, how I felt promoting films: a little more anxiety, a little more uncertainty. You always end up questioning, Is this what I should be doing?… I just wasn’t sure if I was moving closer to myself or further away. And something inside me kept saying that I was getting further away—that something about this industry wasn’t healthy.”
Evans would then go on to star in three solo Captain America films (First Avenger, Winter Solider, Civil War), as well as various cameo appearances and prominent roles in Avengers films.
He wrapped up his time as the character in Avengers: Endgame, but in the new era of multiverse storytelling, fans have ached for an Evans return in a future film. While possible, it seems less likely as time goes on.
While the actor seems to have a “never say never” attitude about returning, Evans holds his time as Captain America close to heart and doesn’t want to muddy that legacy.
He tells the publication, “It’s something that I am very proud of. And, like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab, or if it didn’t live up to expectations, or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon. And ultimately, I really hope to just maybe act a little bit less in my life.”
As for Captain America, the actor lives on with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) taking on the mantle. The next film is set to be Captain America: Brave New World, which marks the first Captain America film sans Chris Evans (unless he has a secret cameo).
The film is set to star Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a returning Liv Tyler reprising her role as Betty Ross from The Incredible Hulk, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Time Blake Nelson as The Leader, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) is directing from a script penned by The Falcon and the Winter Soldier writer Malcolm Spellman & Dalan Musson.
Captain America: Brave New World is set for a May 3rd, 2024 release date.