O Captain! My Captain, please say it ain't so! Recently, while participating in a profile piece for The New York Times, Captain America actor Chris Evans has seemingly confirmed that he'll be surrendering his stars and stripes as Steve Rogers for Marvel's MCU after the yet-to-be-titled Avengers sequel is released in 2019.
While fans of the character have been speculating that Evans will exit the franchise following his encounter with Marvel's Mad Titan, Thanos, the actor saying that “You want to get off the train before they push you off,” all but confirms that he's finally ready to retire from the part he he's been playing since 2011's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.
Obviously, this isn't the first time that Evans has come forward with claims that he's prepared to walk away from the MCU, though with the clock ticking down for Marvel's major crossover event, it could very well be time to prep a 21-gun salute to the strapping super solider. After all, that scene in the latest AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR trailer is quite reminiscent of a well-known and devastating event that occured in the pages of Marvel's Infinity Gauntlet storyline.
The question we have to ask ourselves now is: Who will take up the Captain America mantle after Steve is (likely) crushed under the weight of the Mad Titan's massive purple paws? Will Anthony Mackie's Falcon take up the shield? Or, does Bucky Barnes, AKA The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) strap on the old red, white, and blue in honor of his fallen comrade?
When he first joined the MCU, Evans entered into the pact with a six-picture deal, and then extended his contract to include the fourth Avengers film (which I totally think is going to be called AVENGERS: SECRET INVASION, by the way). For those of you playing at home, Evans has appeared as Captain America in a Marvel film every year since his 2011 debut. This includes his leading three Captain America films and (soon-to-be) four Avengers films. Furthermore, he's also popped in for a cameo in 2013's THOR: THE DARK WORLD as well as last year's hilarious SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING PSA spotlight.
How do you feel about Evans supposedly retiring from his Captain America role? Is it finally time to pass the torch? Will he extend his contract yet again if something super cool were to be announced? Are you down with either Falcon or The Winter Soldier picking up the shield? Let us know your thoughts, feelings, and concerns in the comments section below!