When it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe’s strongest pillars, only Chris Evans comes close to replicating Robert Downey Jr.’s aura and impact, having portrayed Steve Rogers/Captain America in 11 Marvel movies to great effect. However, Chris Evans always had mixed feelings about re-entering the world of Marvel Comics characters and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige had to work hard to change the actor’s opinion in his favor.
But in 2019, Evans took little time to get out of the door and has since shown little sign of making a return. He was supposedly so tired of playing the good guy and saving the world from extraterrestrial powers that he took a 180 turn and has since caught more attention with his villainous roles. Interestingly, this approach could also open doors for Feige to bring back Evans to the MCU.
The Shocking Captain America Twist That Surprised Chris Evans and Impressed Stan Lee
Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers/Captain America is one of the most powerful and loved superheroes the MCU has ever seen and was key in helping Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man take on Thanos. As the Avengers were assembling and building momentum in the lead-up to Avengers: Endgame on the big screen, Marvel writers brought forward a shocking twist regarding the superhero in the world of Comics.
In 2016, Marvel launched Captain America: Steve Rogers No. 1 and revealed that Captain America is a Hydra agent, shattering the hearts of millions who idolized the true American hero. The Nick Spencer-written issue turns the clock back and establishes that Sarah, Steve’s single mother, was saved from her abusive, alcoholic husband by a Hydra agent named Elisa Sinclair. Then in the present, Steve is shown betraying one of his colleagues and reciting the Hydra catchphrase, “Hail Hydra.”
Needless to say, fans of both Marvel movies and comics didn’t like this development. However, the late Stan Lee had something different to say, much to everyone’s surprise. He told during a Q&A session at MegaCon (via Screen Rant):
“It’s a hell of a clever idea. I don’t know that I would ever have thought of it for him to be a double agent, but it’s going to make you curious, it’s going to make you want to read the books, they’ll probably do a movie based on it.”
At the time, Evans had little to say about the Hydra Agent twist, as he was as surprised as his fans, and could only tweet: “Hydra?!?!?” accompanied with the hashtag #sayitaintso. However, the trajectory his career has taken since then could mean that that twist could have a big say in his potential return to the MCU.
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How Marvel Can Convince Chris Evans to Return to the MCU
Evans’ first major role after Avengers: Endgame came in Knives Out, where he portrayed Ransom Drysdale, who is willing to go to any lengths to make sure he gets his hands on his inheritance.
The 42-year-old apparently enjoyed that villainous side so much that he took things a notch higher and played Lloyd Hansen, an egocentric sociopath and mercenary, in The Gray Man. The mustache he donned did a great job of making him appear even more creepy. Speaking about how different it is from his time as Captain America, Evans told Empire:
“It does seem that I’ve aggressively gone 180 [degrees] from Steve Rogers. But it just kind of unfolded that way.”
Earlier this year, when GQ asked him about a Marvel return, Evans said he’d never rule out that possibility, but, “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.”
Accordingly, if Feige wants Evans back, he’d have to pitch in something very special and different, and within the context of Marvel Comics, there’s nothing more unique than the Hydra Agent twist.
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