Chris Evans may return to Marvel for Avengers: Doomsday, according to an exclusive report from The Wrap. However, rumors suggest the deal remains incomplete, and the announcement has reportedly ruffled the feathers of current Captain America, Anthony Mackie.

The Wrap states that Evans’ specific role and involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) remain unclear, but the report confirms his return. However, circulating rumors paint a different picture of the situation.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Chris Evans as Captain America, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, and Mark Ruffalo as Hulk in The Avengers (2012), Marvel Entertainment

READ: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Starts Fourth Round of Reshoots With Three Months to Release, Can This Movie Make Money!?

Insiders suggest that Evans faces personal financial pressures, possibly influencing his decision to reprise the role that catapulted him to stardom. Reports indicate that Evans will appear in Avengers: Doomsday alongside Robert Downey Jr., who will trade his Iron Man armor to play the villainous Doctor Doom.

Downey is rumored to earn a combined $200 million for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Evans is also expected to receive a significant paycheck for his return.

Recently, Evans reprised his role as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch from Fox’s Fantastic Four films, in Deadpool and Wolverine. However, if he returns in an Avengers film, fans hope he will step back into the role of Steve Rogers, the original Captain America.

Chris Evans as Captain America in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Marvel Studios

This development reportedly hasn’t sat well with Anthony Mackie, whose character, Sam Wilson, took up the shield and mantle of Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame.

Rumors suggest Mackie and the cast of Captain America: Brave New World feel frustrated by the timing of the announcement, which comes two months before the film’s release. Many behind the scenes view it as premature and believe it detracts from the spotlight on Mackie’s upcoming film.

Anthony Mackie behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.

Those feeling stem from reports that the deal between Evans and Marvel is not yet finalized. That means leaking this information to The Wrap might be some kind of negotiation tactic from the former Captain America’s camp.

Captain America: Brave New World recently underwent a fourth round of reshoots and now has a budget nearing $500 million. Interest in Mackie’s portrayal of Captain America also appears lukewarm, with some industry insiders predicting the film may struggle at the box office when it releases on February 14.

Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVEL.

Additionally, Marvel had reportedly been collaborating with Sony to create a unified MCU/SONY Universe with a soft reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars. However, that project is now rumored to be on hold.

Would you like to see Chris Evans return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Should Marvel pass the Captain America mantle back to Steve Rogers? Share your thoughts in the comments!