Chris Evans gave fans a glimpse of trouble ahead for Steve Rogers, calling his character’s arc in “Avengers: Doomsday” brutal during a Q&A at Fan Expo Boston over the weekend. The actor, who returns as Captain America after appearing to close out the character’s story in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” said directors Anthony and Joe Russo have made a habit of pushing Rogers to his physical limits on screen.
“The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers,” Evans said. “Their favorite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him. To them, that’s what makes a hero, and that’s someone who gets punched so many times but still gets up. So they keep finding new ways to kick his butt. And this one was brutal.”
Evans also described the secrecy surrounding his casting, saying the production disguised his involvement by referring to him on scripts and around set under the name of an entirely different Marvel character. The concealment mirrors reporting from early last year, when Evans denied returning to the role despite accounts that he had signed on.
Robert Downey Jr. joins the film as its central antagonist, playing Doctor Doom, a casting choice the Russos have said surprised them once they heard the voice Downey built for the character. “Doomsday” gathers heroes from across Marvel’s roster, including figures tied to the X-Men, the Thunderbolts and the Fantastic Four, all converging against Doom in a story that expands well beyond the core Avengers lineup.
Screenwriter Stephen McFeely, who worked on the Russos’ earlier Captain America and Avengers films, wrote the script. A teaser released earlier this year showed Rogers riding a motorcycle back to the home where he last appeared with Peggy Carter at the end of “Endgame,” identifying him onscreen as Steve Rogers rather than Captain America, since he handed that title to Sam Wilson before stepping away. “Avengers: Doomsday” arrives in theaters December 18, capping a stretch of strong box office results for Marvel that included the record-setting run of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
