Chris Evans almost never returned as Captain America, and it took one unexpected phone call to change his mind. The actor revealed why he rejected every Marvel pitch for eight years before finally saying yes to Avengers: Doomsday.
Robert Downey Jr.’s return made Avengers: Doomsday feel right for Chris Evans
Chris Evans disclosed that Robert Downey Jr.’s Marvel comeback ultimately persuaded him to suit up again as Captain America for Avengers: Doomsday. The actor made this revelation in an exclusive conversation with Entertainment Weekly at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. Evans shared that he declined approximately twelve separate proposals over eight years before finally accepting.
Following the completion of Avengers: Endgame in 2018, Marvel leaders Lou D’Esposito and Kevin Feige approached Evans about extending his run as Steve Rogers. Their initial concept centered on the Nomad persona, drawn from a 1974 comic storyline featuring Cap’s alternate identity. Evans acknowledged the idea had merit but said the timing felt off. “I kind of wanted to… I was a little precious. I wanted to preserve it,” he explained. He encouraged the studio to continue bringing him new concepts.
Throughout the next several years, Marvel repeatedly presented fresh storylines to the actor. “Over the course of eight years, I probably heard at least a dozen pitches,” he shared. “They were all wonderful. It just never quite felt right.” Evans began wondering whether a comeback simply was not in the cards.
The turning point arrived when Evans heard rumblings about Downey reconnecting with Marvel. “I got a phone call from my team saying there’s a rumor he’s talking to Marvel,” Evans recalled. Director Joe Russo subsequently laid out the new vision, and Downey’s participation clinched it. “It just all of a sudden… it was like, ‘This is it,'” Evans confirmed.
Evans remains receptive to potential future MCU roles if the right narrative emerges. “I think everyone here is precious with their role in the universe,” he remarked. Downey steps into the part of Victor Von Doom, alongside returning Fox X-Men cast members. Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18.
