Chris Evans, who famously portrayed Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger to 2019's Avengers: Endgame, has expressed feelings of sadness about not being involved in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Evans' departure from the role of Steve Rogers at the conclusion of Endgame saw the character pass the Captain America mantle to Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie, who has since starred in Captain America: Brave New World. While Evans has previously stated his contentment with his MCU journey's conclusion, the announcement of Avengers: Doomsday, coupled with the return of familiar faces and the Russo brothers as directors, has stirred a sense of longing for his time as part of the superhero team.
In a recent interview with ScreenRant, while promoting his new film The Materialists alongside fellow MCU actor Pedro Pascal, Evans opened up about his feelings regarding Avengers: Doomsday. When asked about the return of Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers, Evans admitted to keeping in touch with them. He then confessed, "It's sad to be away. It's sad to not be back with the band, but I'm sure they're doing something incredible, and I'm sure it's going to be that much harder when it comes out and you feel like you weren't invited to the party."
The "band" Evans refers to includes returning MCU stars such as Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and others. Notably, Robert Downey Jr. is set to return, but this time as the villainous Doctor Doom, a twist that has generated considerable buzz among fans. Furthermore, the film will incorporate characters from the X-Men franchise, with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen reprising their roles as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto, respectively. Newcomers will also be joining the ensemble, including Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in the forthcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Despite Evans' absence from the cast list, some fans remain skeptical, suggesting that his involvement might be being kept secret to heighten the surprise. Rumors of Evans potentially returning as a variant of Captain America from another universe have circulated since his departure. However, Evans himself has not confirmed any plans to reprise his role.
While Evans may be experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out) regarding Avengers: Doomsday, he seems confident in the Russo brothers' ability to deliver an exceptional film. He acknowledged that watching the film's release will be difficult, knowing he wasn't part of the experience.