(Left) Chris Evans as Captain America in ‘Captain America: Civil War’. Photo: Marvel Studios. (Right) Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
Preview:
- Chris Evans is reportedly heading back to the Marvel family for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’
- Joe and Anthony Russo are aboard to direct the movie.
- Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Dr. Doom.
With the giant announcement back at Comic-Con this past July that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe –– but as Doctor Doom, rather than a variant of the late Tony “Iron Man” Stark –– talk has naturally turned to his fellow veteran Marvel actors and whether they’ll be back alongside the newer crop.
It seems one of the other main players has made the choice to come back, as The Wrap reports that Chris Evans is now deep in talks to return for the first of the two new ‘Avengers’ movies that the studio has planned –– ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ –– which will see the heroes going up against Doom.
An upcoming film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) sixth Phase and part of The Multiverse Saga. Plot TBA. Read the Plot
What the story doesn’t specify is whether Evans will be back as Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, who, let’s not forget was last seen as an old man at the end of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ after he opted to spend a different timeline’s life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson took over the Cap mantle, and he’ll be seen in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ this coming February.
So Evans could well be playing someone else, as he did when he reprised his old Fox Marvel role as Johnny Storm in this summer’s ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’
But at the very least, it’s exciting news.
What has happened with the new ‘Avengers’ movies so far?
‘Avengers: Doomsday’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
To say the road to the new ‘Avengers’ films has been problematic is to say an erupting volcano is a little toasty.
Originally announced as part of a big reveal by studio boss Kevin Feige at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con about future “phase” developments, the new movies were called ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.
‘The Kang Dynasty’ has been the real sticking point here. Though the plan had presumably been to build to a confrontation with Jonathan Majors’ multiversal villain, Majors found himself cut by Marvel after accusations (and, later a guilty result) of harassment.
While ‘Shang-Chi’ director Destin Daniel Cretton boarded the film shortly after it was announced, he’s since stepped away. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy has reportedly offered been the gig since then, but the July Con announcement also confirmed that ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ directors Joe and Anthony Russo are back to handle the two giant team-up efforts.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ will focus on the likes of the current Avengers team and the Fantastic Four (played by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bacharach, and set to be introduced in their own movie next July) having to face the new threat of Doom.
‘Secret Wars’ has been more of a mystery on the filmmaking front.
What is Marvel’s ‘Secret Wars?
‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars’, and they’re bringing along scripter Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote most of their previous Marvel output.
Who else will be in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
(L to R) Louis D’Esposito, Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo and Anthony Russo present ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
Alongside Evans in whatever capacity, we’ll of course see Downey plus the ‘Fantastic Four’ cast.
Mackie is very likely to show up as Cap, and Benedict Cumberbatch has been talked about to return as Doctor Strange. We’ll have to wait and see whether the likes of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man or any of the other stalwarts will be back.
There’s good money on Chris Hemsworth as Thor (since he’s still active) and hopefully the likes of Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will report for duty.
Related Article: Marvel Boss Kevin Feige Offers Updates on ‘The Fantastic Four’ and More
What has Evans worked on since ‘Endgame’?
(L to R) Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in ‘Red One.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Since hanging up his shield, Evans has been seen in the likes of ‘Knives Out,’ in a cameo as himself in ‘Free Guy’ and Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ spin-off ‘Lightyear.’
There has also been Netflix pill-slinging film ‘Pain Hustlers,’ Apple action movie ‘Ghosted,’ and he reunited with the Russos to play a scheming villain in thriller ‘The Gray Man.’
More recently, there was the aforementioned ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and Christmas-themed movie ‘Red One’ opposite Dwayne Johnson.
Coming up, we have adventure comedy ‘Sacrifice,’ rom-com ‘Materialists’ and Ethan Coen’s latest, ‘Honey Don’t.’
When will the next two ‘Avengers’ movies head to screens?
Marvel is planning to have ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on screens on May 1st, 2026, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on May 7th, 2027.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Photo: Marvel Studios Instagram Account.
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