I’m So Annoyed Steve Rogers Is Back in Avengers: Doomsday (& I Know It’ll Make Me a Hypocrite)

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Chris Evans is confirmed to return as Steve Rogers in the upcoming Marvel movie, Avengers: Doomsday. This comes over seven years after his character’s apparent final appearance in the MCU. The news of his return – whether you’ve seen the trailer or not – has quickly spread, and fans are eager to learn more. One big question surrounds the revelation that Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter now have a child.

This decision feels like a clever, yet risky, move that was bound to happen. After already reviving Robert Downey Jr. in a new role as Doctor Doom, bringing back Evans is a clear attempt to recapture fan excitement and boost interest in Doomsday. Marvel really needs this movie to be a big success, because the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t felt as unstoppable lately.

Marvel Studios clearly understands how appealing nostalgia is to audiences, as seen in the huge success of films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Deadpool & Wolverine – these are currently their biggest hits from recent years. While bringing back Chris Evans as Captain America taps into that nostalgia, I personally would prefer they didn’t.

Avengers: Doomsday Bringing Back Steve Rogers Undoes His Perfect Endgame

Honestly, I’m not upset about Steve coming back because I dislike the character or how Chris Evans plays him – it’s actually the opposite! I absolutely loved watching Steve grow. Seeing him change from a hopeful, trusting soldier into someone who really questioned things and made tough decisions, all while still being a true hero, was amazing. That character arc really resonated with me.

What made Chris Evans’ portrayal of Captain America so compelling was that he was always willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. It’s fitting, then, that he didn’t have to. After spending decades out of sync with his own time, he finally got a perfect ending: returning home to the person he loved.

As a huge cinema fan, I’m really fascinated by what’s coming with the next Avengers film. It seems like Steve Rogers finally found some peace and happiness, and the start of the movie will likely show that. But, of course, that won’t last. He’s going to be pulled back into the action, and his peaceful life will be turned upside down by events from his past. There’s a really compelling theory going around that Doom’s attack is actually because Steve went back in time – that it caused a ripple effect, destroying Doom’s world and family. It would mean Steve’s choice at the end of Endgame, while heroic, inadvertently set off a multiversal catastrophe, which is a pretty heavy thought!

It’s possible they could make this new development work in a story, but I’d rather they didn’t have to. I was really hoping Steve Rogers would end up with Peggy Carter in Endgame, not die, and I was so happy when that happened. While that movie included moments designed to please fans, that particular outcome felt genuinely deserved and provided a perfect ending to his character’s journey.

His return might not change anything, and honestly, I’d prefer not to see Steve Rogers come back at all. It’s difficult to envision a storyline that would make his return worthwhile, or an ending that could truly satisfy fans. While Steve is capable of endless heroism, he doesn’t need to keep doing it.

Chris Evans’ Return Is An Admission Of Marvel’s Failure

Just like bringing Robert Downey Jr. back, Marvel’s decision to include Chris Evans signals they realize the Multiverse Saga hasn’t quite worked as planned. They’re having to rely on familiar faces – and another trailer for Avengers: Doomsday is expected to feature Chris Hemsworth as Thor – because audiences haven’t connected with the new characters enough.

Marvel faced challenges outside of its control, like the pandemic and industry strikes, which impacted movie releases and production. However, they also made some missteps, particularly by rushing into streaming too quickly. They expanded their streaming content rapidly without properly assessing the impact, and needed to slow down.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe expanded rapidly, it suffered from a lack of proper supervision. Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, was spread too thin, leading to a decline in the overall quality of both movies and TV shows. While some MCU projects have always been stronger than others, the release of several underwhelming films – including Eternals, Doctor Strange 2, Thor: Love and Thunder, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Captain America: Brave New World – in a short period has damaged the brand. This issue was compounded by a large amount of streaming content, some of which, like Secret Invasion, also received negative reviews.

While things haven’t been entirely negative for Marvel, they’ve missed opportunities with some promising characters. Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi was a standout hero after Endgame, but he hasn’t been in a film since 2021. Similarly, Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop impressed in the Hawkeye Disney+ series, yet her only subsequent appearance was a cameo in The Marvels, a film that didn’t perform well at the box office.

Honestly, for a while there, Marvel just wasn’t hitting the mark. They weren’t really building up new characters or crafting phases that felt connected – it all felt so random and thrown together, especially in Phases 4 and 5. And with so much content constantly being released, a lot of us started feeling a bit burned out. Things started to improve in 2025 with films like Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but even those didn’t quite deliver at the box office. Now, it feels like they’re circling back to what they know works – bringing back Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and I wouldn’t be surprised if Thanos makes a reappearance too. It’s like they’re relying on nostalgia to get things back on track.

I Know I’ll Be Seeing Avengers: Doomsday Regardless

My biggest issue isn’t going to prevent me from seeing the movie. It’s an Avengers film, and as a longtime fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I’ll be there on opening day. I’d see it no matter who was in it, but I’d be even more excited if it focused on the newer heroes. I’m really hoping to see more of Shang-Chi, Kate Bishop, Yelena Belova, and Ms. Marvel.

After nearly ten years of Chris Evans as Captain America and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man across numerous Marvel films, I thought I was done with those characters. I really don’t need to see them return. However, I know I’ll probably still watch. These returns aren’t for longtime fans like me; they’re aimed at people who’ve lost interest in the MCU since Endgame or aren’t sure if they’ll bother with new Marvel movies. And honestly, even knowing it’s likely just playing on nostalgia, I’ll probably feel something when I see them on screen again.

I’m really hoping this movie lives up to expectations. I want to be wrong about my worries, and for Steve’s story to be amazing and moving. I’m excited to see Robert Downey Jr. play a truly memorable Marvel villain, and for the film to be as good as Infinity War and Endgame. However, the way they’ve brought things back makes it difficult to be optimistic. I’m confident it will be a financial success – it should easily earn $1.5 billion – but whether it will actually be good and deserve that success is a much bigger question. That’s a tough challenge, but I’m choosing to stay hopeful, just like Steve would.

Avengers: Doomsday will be released in theaters on December 18th, 2026.

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2025-12-21 21:41