Superhero origin stories have been the name of the Phase 4 game. From Ms. Marvel to Kate Bishop to Moon Knight, a steady stream of new characters have joined the ranks of the remaining Avengers. However, transformation stories aren’t exclusive to MCU newbies. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson also had a different kind of origin story when he took on the role of Captain America from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, whose whereabouts are still a mystery.
By the last episode of 2021 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+, Mackie’s Sam Wilson has fully embraced his own Captain America persona and is set to continue his story in Captain America: New World Order May 3, 2024.
But even as the Disney+ series established that Mackie is the new cap, it also expanded Steve Rogers’ post-war mystery.End of Game status. Given the secrecy surrounding the character and the questions fans have about his time-traveling mission to return the Infinity Stones, does Marvel Studios have any plans for a Chris Evans cameo in Captain America 4?
Here’s a breakdown of how the actor could reprise the role in Marvel’s next film Captain America: New World Order.
What’s the plan for the OG Star-Spangled Man?
Rumors of Chris Evans returning as Steve Rogers are anything but new. In early 2021, Deadline reported that the actor was “expected” to reprise his MCU role “in one form or another” and “in at least one Marvel property with the door open for a second movie.”
It’s one of the many reasons anticipation was so high for a Steve Rogers cameo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, it should be noted that in response to this report, Chris Evans tweeted “News for Me” with a shrug emoji.
But despite Evans’ denials and the fact that this rumor has yet to materialize, the shadow of Steve Rogers’ Captain America still hangs over the MCU; and that’s largely down to Marvel Studios.
Along with multiple references to its iconic shield, Marvel Studios dropped Rogers: The Musical in New York in more than one MCU project. And, more recently, Marvel chose to have Ms. MarvelCap’s AvengerCon was held at Camp Lehigh in Cap, New Jersey.
There seems to be a concerted effort to keep “the man out of time” in a timely manner without letting the audience participate in the conclusion of the character’s story.
However, even though Chris Evans avoided confirming plans for his character’s return, and was incredibly favorable to the fact that “Sam Wilson is Captain America” this does not mean that Steve Rogers has no role to play in Captain America 4 and beyond.
How Chris Evans Could Return In Captain America 4
Again, while The Falcon and the Winter Weld established Sam Wilson as Captain America, the series also showed that Sam Wilson is his own man and a different take on the star-studded hero.
Besides not being a super soldier and sporting Falcon-esque wings, Sam has a different responsibility as Cap. And, according to Captain America 4 writer Malcolm Spellman, Sam will always be struggling with the idea of “whether or not a black man should be Captain America” in Captain America 4.
While Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley and his character’s experiences helped Sam embrace the mantle in a way that Steve Rogers couldn’t, that doesn’t mean he won’t have questions for Steve. In fact, Sam may have to face his friend now that he’s become the new Cap as a necessary step in his character’s journey.
While audiences don’t yet know if Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will be in the movie, due to his own journey on the Disney+ series, it might be time for him to have a heart-to-heart between him and Steve. also.
The plot of New world order and the threat Sam will face could be another reason why Chris Evans will return as Steve Rogers.
Still, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier went out of its way to show that members of the MCU universe don’t know what happened to Rogers, with some believing the hero actually lives on the moon. The whole theory is kinda out there, to say the least, unless he’s actually on that Skrull ship with Nick Fury, preparing for the threat that Phase 5 and beyond has in reserve?
Due to Steve Rogers’ age, experience, and everything that happened when the Infinity Stones returned, Fury and the remaining Avengers may need the retired hero for information. Captain America 4. And, after all, if those in-universe rumors weren’t going to be revisited in a Captain America-related project, it’s unlikely they were hinted at in Sam Wilson’s Disney+ series to begin with.
What could a Chris Evans Cap cameo look like?
If Chris Evans returns for either of those purposes, it will likely be as a short and sweet but powerful cameo and certainly not as Captain America. Instead, Evans is sure to be old Steve Rogers from the end of Avengers: Endgameonly offering information and assistance.
This different kind of presence is something Evans has alluded to in previous interviews and even called “a strange extension of that legacy.”
While his comments show he’s cautious about coming back, they also prove he’s thought about it and has an idea of what it might look like, which may be evidence of those conversations. with Marvel Studios.
While the MCU faithful will have to wait and see if Chris Evans will actually appear in New world orderit’s hard to deny that Marvel Studios hasn’t set the stage for such a moment and there aren’t enough opportunities.
Captain America: New World Order will be released in theaters on May 3, 2024.
