I'm nervous that Chris Evans' return to the Chris Evans has now been cast in Avengers: Doomsday, reuniting with the Russo brothers, Robert Downey Jr. and Hayley Atwell, but I'm now worried about Steve Rogers' legacy.
We first saw Steve Rogers' retirement in Avengers: Endgame was the perfect ending for the former Captain America. This makes me quite nervous that Evans' return in Avengers: Doomsday could tarnish his Endgame conclusion, especially when considering popular casting theories for the MCU veteran.
Chris Evans' Perfect Avengers: Doomsday Return Is Arguably As A Villain
Chris Evans Returning As A Villain Makes Sense For The MCU
So far, we've seen Chris Evans appear in 12 MCU movies, and, aside from his brief cameo as a shape-shifted Loki in Thor: The Dark World, he has played a steadfast superhero in every one. In the wake of him being cast in Avengers: Doomsday, however, since the extent and nature of his role haven't been revealed, theories have emerged suggesting he could, in fact, portray a villain. I reckon this is pretty likely, especially since Robert Downey Jr. has been recast as one of Marvel's most iconic supervillains, Doctor Doom, in Avengers: Doomsday.
Chris Evans' MCU Movie |
Year |
Role |
|---|---|---|
Captain America: The First Avenger |
2011 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
The Avengers |
2012 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Thor: The Dark World |
2013 |
Loki |
Captain America: The Winter Soldier |
2014 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Avengers: Age of Ultron |
2015 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Ant-Man |
2015 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Captain America: Civil War |
2016 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Spider-Man: Homecoming |
2017 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Avengers: Infinity War |
2018 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Captain Marvel |
2019 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Avengers: Endgame |
2019 |
Steve Rogers' Captain America |
Deadpool & Wolverine |
2024 |
Johnny Storm's Human Torch |
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see Chris Evans portray a formidable supervillain in Avengers: Doomsday. I think this would be a fantastic way to subvert audience expectations concerning Evans' return to the MCU, and this could theories of an evil Avengers team forming, perhaps led by Doctor Doom, and including twisted versions of Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, Hawkeye and more. As incredible as a villainous Captain America could be, however, I'm nervous about how far Marvel Studios would need to push this role for Chris Evans, which could be detrimental to his career as Steve Rogers.
HYDRA’s Captain America Is A Perfect Comic Setup For The MCU To Use
HYDRA's Captain America Is The Most Popular Chris Evans Casting Choice
While there are many notable supervillains from Marvel Comics who Chris Evans could play in Avengers: Doomsday, it's not hard to surmise that his perfect villainous character would be a HYDRA-indoctrinated Steve Rogers. This alternate version of Steve Rogers was first seen in Marvel Comics in 2016, and briefly replaced Earth-616's Captain America, instigating the Secret Empire event which saw HYDRA assume control of the United States. HYDRA has been a huge part of Chris Evans' Captain America's history, so I'm excited about the possibility of seeing this huge twist.
Hydra Captain America Explained: The Evil Steve Rogers' Powers And Marvel Comics History
Chris Evans' return to the MCU has sparked theories he may be portraying an evil version of Captain America, who has a rich history in Marvel Comics.
What makes the possible introduction of HYDRA's Captain America even more exciting is that this version of Steve Rogers also becomes a staunch enemy to the mutants of Marvel Comics' Earth-616. I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for Marvel Studios to debut some of the most notable and powerful mutants into the MCU, and seeing an evil Steve Rogers perhaps evolve into a twisted Captain Krakoa and spread mutant hate and discrimination would be a fantastic way to open these doors. However, this makes me pretty worried about how Chris Evans' new MCU character will be handled.
I'm So Nervous About How Intense A Villain The MCU Would Need To Make Steve Rogers
Chris Evans' Evil Steve Rogers Could Tarnish His Heroic Legacy
The fact that Chris Evans played one of the most patriotic and steadfast superheroes in comic book history in the MCU means that his possible return as a villain needs to have an equal amount of impact. This makes me nervous, as a villainous Steve Rogers would be one of the most terrifying, sinister, haunting and brutal adversaries the heroes of the MCU may have ever faced. This is especially true if he not only fights to restore HYDRA to its former glory, but also spreads significant hatred regarding the emergence of mutants on Earth.
As incredible as something like this would be to watch, this has me worried that Steve Rogers' heroic legacy and perfect ending from Avengers: Endgame will be butchered in Avengers: Doomsday. An evil version of Steve Rogers could be so intense and disturbing that his debut might actually make rewatching Chris Evans' heroic career in the MCU difficult for us to watch. I really don't want to hate Steve Rogers, so Marvel Studios needs to find the right balance between creating the shock factor and paying homage to what Chris Evans delivered before.
Avengers: Doomsday
Cast
Thor
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert Downey Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
