As if bringing back Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t enough, Marvel Studios is reportedly transporting Chris Evans back into the fold to reprise Captain America.
The return – which is set to happen on next year’s Avengers: Doomsday – was spoiled in a leaked teaser clip that has now been wiped by Disney and Marvel. But, as usual, fans were quicker. (spoiler alert) The footage circulating online finds Evans reprising his role as Steve Rogers right after he traveled back in time to be with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), the ending we last saw of him in Avengers: Endgame. In one scene, he can be seen tenderly holding a newborn baby, likely his child with Peggy. On-screen text closes the scene with “Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Doomsday.”
Fans seized on the moment as confirmation that Evans, who had publicly distanced himself from Captain America after passing the shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, may be involved in the MCU’s next big ensemble event. The imagery of Rogers in a quieter life, juxtaposed with the blanket promise of his return, has fueled speculation about how Marvel plans to integrate legacy heroes with its multiverse-scale storytelling.
“Avengers: Doomsday” aims to be a sprawling event film that not only reunites original Avengers but also introduces characters from across Marvel’s cinematic and comic history. Alongside Evans’ comeback, the teaser and related reporting point to returns for Chris Hemsworth as Thor and RDJ in the role of Victor von Doom (Doctor Doom).
The leaked teaser itself was set to deliver the surprise in theaters, where it’s to be played in front of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, premiering this week in North America. With the cat out of the bag sooner than expected, the hype machine for “Avengers: Doomsday” has officially begun. The film is slated to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.