Chris Evans Says He Is 'Happily Retired' from Marvel, Denies Report He's Returning for Next “Avengers”

Chris Evans is seemingly shutting down claims that he will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Captain America.

In Esquire's new profile on Anthony Mackie ahead of the release of Captain America: Brave New World, Evans denied recent reports that he'll be back as Steve Rogers in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday.

"That's not true," said Evans, 43, when asked about the December 2024 report, explaining that similar rumors "happen every couple years" since he last played the character in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

"I’ve just stopped responding to it," he added, quipping, "Yeah, no — happily retired!"

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Related: Chris Evans Responds to Speculation He'll Return to Marvel Role: 'Sam Wilson Is Captain America'

As Marvel fans know, Sam Wilson (Mackie, 46) finally embraced the Captain America shield during the events of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, after serving as the first Captain's sidekick Falcon, and takes the lead in the upcoming Brave New World.

Mackie told Esquire with a laugh that he "didn't know" about the rumors of Evans potentially returning, explaining, "I talked to Chris a few weeks ago and it wasn’t on the table then."

"At least, he didn’t tell me it was on the table, because I asked him," he continued. "I was like, ‘You know, they said they’re bringing everyone back for [Doomsday]. Are you coming back?' "

"He goes, ‘Oh, you know, I’m happily retired,' " Mackie added.

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Related: Anthony Mackie Clarifies Remarks About Captain America Not Representing 'the Term America': 'I'm a Proud American' 

Evans did reprise his role as his pre-MCU Fantastic Four character Johnny Storm/Human Torch in last year's Deadpool & Wolverine for a surprise cameo.

As for Cap, Evans previously said during a November 2023 appearance on The View that he "always see(s) those reports" about him returning as the popular character.

"Every couple months, someone says that they’re getting [Robert Downey Jr.] and [Chris] Hemsworth and Scarlett [Johansson], and everyone’s coming back," he said, adding, “No one’s spoken to me about it.”

Downey, 59, was later confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024 to be returning to the MCU for the next two Avengers movies, Doomsday and 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars — not as his previous superhero character Tony Stark/Iron Man, who died in Endgame, but as villain Doctor Doom.

Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters Feb. 14.

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