Marvel has made it clear from the beginning that Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 will mark the end of an era. For a few years we’ve been following like a hawk the number of contractual appearances left on the contracts of their biggest stars, and that includes Chris Evans whose Captain America has been the heart and soul of the MCU since the beginning. But his time is quickly coming to an end, and while I think we’ve all quietly hoped Evans would play the patriotic hero for years to come, that simply isn’t going to happen.
In an interview with the New York Times, Evans made it clear that he’s done with Marvel after his Avengers 4 reshoots and doesn’t want to overstay his welcome, saying “You want to get off the train before they push you off.” Like some of the other big actors who played original Avengers, Evans extended his contract to go beyond Infinity War, but only for one more movie to complete the storyline.
This isn’t really a shock. Evans has been very vocal about his desire to do other things, and in-between movies he’s made time for his directorial debut, 2014’s Before We Go, and other small starring projects. But he’s also been conflicted about leaving a role that has defined his career, and likely will continue to.
Avengers: Infinity War opens April 27th.
