Chris Evans Gets Philosophical About the Day He Hangs Up His 'Captain America' Tights: 'I've Had a Great Run'

Chris Evans as Captain America in 'Captain America: Civil War'
Chris Evans as Captain America in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (Photo: Zade Rosenthal/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Chris Evans is taking a break from his superheroic Marvel duties to headline this Friday’s Gifted, a small-scale tale about a man who becomes worried guardian for his 7-year-old math prodigy niece. It’s a distinct change of pace for the 35-year-old actor, and a reminder his creative life extends beyond quarreling with Iron Man as Captain America. Which invariably leads to the question: Has he begun to think about life after the Avengers?

In a new video interview with USA Today, Evans is asked about his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has kept him busy over the better part of the past decade. The actor’s contract with Marvel expires after he completes work on the next two Avengers sagas — Infinity War (May 4, 2018) and the still-untitled Avengers 4 (May 3, 2019). While he says he doesn’t yet know if he’ll play the part after those two blockbusters, he confesses it’d be hard to see someone else suit up as Captain America:

“I’d be lying if I said it wouldn’t be hard for me. But the passing of time and the passing of torches is part of the experience. Nothing lasts forever. There’s a beauty in that departure, even if it can be sad at times. It’s also joyful…I’ve had a great run. Superheroes are reinventable entities, like Batman or even James Bond. These movies find new incarnations and new ways to tell the story. I am all for it. However they want to proceed after Avengers 4, it’s really up to them. I walk away with no regrets and endlessly thankful.”

And what about how his fans might react to such a turn of events? “Bless those people,” Evans says. “My mother will be leading that fan base.”

For now, moviegoers can look forward to seeing Evans once again wearing the red, white, and blue in next summer’s Avengers: Infinity War. For more of his thoughts on his Marvel future — and the increasing difficulty of maintaining his Avengers-grade physique — head over to USA Today.

Chris Evans Says It’s Up to Marvel Whether He Returns as Captain America:

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