Credit: Marvel StudiosChris Evans almost didn’t get to be Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a new source reveals some drama surrounding the actor’s original deal.
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The MCU needed Captain America. Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man may have been the face of the franchise, but Cap was the heart of it all. Without Evans, the MCU wouldn’t have notable films that pushed characters like Steve Roger, Falcon, Black Widow, Nick Fury, or even Tony Stark to indeed be the characters that fans remember.
Most of the Captain America trilogy are beloved movies that tie perfectly into the MCU, and it’s wild to think that all of it almost didn’t happen because Chris Evans was scared to work for Marvel Studios. After working on Fantastic Four as the Human Torch, Evans knew that the type of commitment the MCU demanded just wasn’t for him, so when Kevin Feige presented him with a contract for nine movies and a lot of money, he refused.
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According to Vanity Fair, Kevin Feige believed that Captain America was the glue that would hold the MCU together. If they didn’t get the right actor for the role, he was concerned that the franchise wouldn’t rise to its full potential. For Thor and other MCU roles, they had cast British actors to star in those roles, but Feige knew that they needed an American actor to star as Captain America, and he was determined to get Chris Evans.
Evans, on the other hand, felt like it was a trap. He thought that his career would hinge on the movie’s success. For him, he loved the freedom of acting for a project and then fading away from the spotlight to be able to do whatever he needed. If he worked in the MCU, that would be his life for the next decade or more, which was terrifying.
Later on, Robert Downey Jr. called Evans and told him over the phone how the MCU would actually help the actor get more opportunities later on to star in other projects, which is what the actor wanted. After that conversation, Evans called Feige and took the part, and the rest is history. Here’s an excerpt from the Vanity Fair of Robert Downey Jr’s conversation with Evans:
“Evans would still be locked into the role for roughly a decade, which scared him. But sometimes, he decided, ‘maybe the thing you’re most scared of is actually the thing you should do.’ He took the part.”
Now fans can enjoy the actor’s role as Captain America because he nailed it. He embodied that character, and while he no longer has a big role in the MCU, his legacy is a constant reminder to fans of just how amazing it was to have the actor as Steve Rogers. Thankfully, Evans might still get to do one more role in the MCU as rumors claim that the actor will return for a new series dedicated to Captain America returning the Infinity Stones, which fans wanted to see after Avengers: Endgame (2019).
At the very least, Chris Evans isn’t against appearing in more MCU projects, but he won’t do it for a quick cash grab. The story and script have to be compelling and have a damn good reason for why he should return to the MCU after having a perfect end to his story by passing the shield to Anthony Mackie’s Falcon and help start his journey into becoming the next Captain America.
Do you think Chris Evans made the right choice to join the MCU? Let Inside the Magic know what you think!