Steve Rogers is returning to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, a return I am fairly enthusiastic about. On the identical time, The Russo Brothers’ latest Captain America feedback spotlight a systemic drawback the MCU has had since Avengers: Endgame.
Avengers: Doomsday is shaping as much as be one of many MCU’s greatest films of all time, although it’s leaning fairly closely on acquainted faces, together with Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers regardless of his retirement on the finish of the final Avengers film. This is what the Russos have stated about Steve Rogers’ return, and why it speaks to an even bigger MCU subject.
What The Russo Brothers Mentioned About Chris Evans’ Return In Avengers: Doomsday
In keeping with the Russo Brothers, Steve Rogers’ Captain America stays a central determine not simply to the Avengers however to the MCU’s overarching narrative.
The Russos additionally described Rogers’ Captain America as deeply private to their very own time within the MCU, framing Doomsday as a narrative they’ll’t think about telling with out him. In any case, their first MCU films had been Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil Struggle earlier than directing the third and fourth Avengers films.
That sentiment tracks with the very first Doomsday teaser, which noticed Steve along with his toddler son seemingly having fun with his retirement with Peggy as we noticed on the finish of Avengers: Endgame. That stated, the truth that Steve Rogers remains to be so irreplaceable within the MCU communicates a core subject with the franchise’s improvement since 2019 (or lack thereof).
The MCU Is Nonetheless Having Bother Shifting On From Main Marvel Characters Submit-Endgame
Avengers: Endgame was positioned as a significant conclusion to the Infinity Saga, but additionally as a brand new starting. Tony Stark died, Steve Rogers retired, and the MCU promised a brand new era of heroes able to step up.
Years later, that transition nonetheless feels largely incomplete, particularly in mild of Steve Rogers supposedly being so central to the plot of Doomsday. Even when there’s a intelligent clarification for his return, like Steve Rogers being revealed as Earth-616’s multiversal Anchor Being, the reliance itself is telling.
Saying this as a significant Steve Rogers fan, it may be argued that each minute supposedly nonetheless targeted on the primary Captain America is time not spent elevating newer MCU heroes who debuted post-Endgame like Sam Wilson and his function as the brand new Captain America, Shang-Chi, or Moon Knight.
It feels as if Marvel Studios is making an attempt to have its cake and eat it too: persevering with to introduce new heroes, whereas on the identical time struggling to let its authentic icons actually relaxation. Simply have a look at Robert Downey Jr returning as Physician Doom (who will greater than doubtless have some form of multiversal connection to the late Iron Man).
The MCU’s Nostalgia Performs Are Going To Run Dry Quickly
It is also value noting that the Multiverse Saga has leaned so exhausting into nostalgia. At first, it labored brilliantly. Seeing Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield return as Spider-Man in No Method House was wonderful, and the identical goes for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.
Patrick Stewart has already returned as Professor X in Physician Unusual within the Multiverse of Insanity, and much more authentic X-Males trilogy solid members will likely be becoming a member of Stewart in Doomsday together with Ian McKellen’s Magneto, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, and James Marsden’s Cyclops.
Nevertheless, it must be stated that nostalgia is a finite useful resource, and the properly is already beginning to look shallow even earlier than the following two Avengers films. In the meantime, newer heroes launched in Phases 4 and 5 nonetheless haven’t acquired follow-ups.
Whereas Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi will return in Doomsday, he ought to have had a sequel by now after one of many MCU’s strongest debuts again in 2021. Likewise, it is past me why Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight’s future nonetheless stays so imprecise. The identical goes for different new heroes like Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop.
Nostalgia and bringing again older heroes is superior, nevertheless it’s beginning to get stale if that is the only real precedence, particularly if it is occurring at newer heroes’ expense. It is why Steve Rogers being such a central determine in Doomsday sounds cool…whereas feeing shortsighted on the identical time.
How The MCU Can Transfer On From Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers In Part 7
Trying past the following two Avengers films, Part 7 represents Marvel’s finest alternative to lastly reset these priorities. The answer feels clear: stepping again from Avengers-centric storytelling and leaning into the soon-to-be-rebooted X-Males as the brand new narrative spine of the MCU.
On the identical time, Marvel can even recommit to heroes launched post-Endgame. Giving Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye, She-Hulk, and others significant sequels (and eventually making Blade!) would assist rebuild belief within the franchise’s future as a substitute of its previous. Lastly introducing the teased Younger Avengers as a real generational shift would additionally assist.
At this level, I really do hope my favourite MCU hero deserves a significant function in Doomsday, however I additionally want this to be the MCU’s final time leaning on Steve Rogers. If Marvel Studios actually desires one other decade of relevance for the MCU, it has to lastly let Captain America and different authentic heroes transfer on.
Avengers: Doomsday is ready to launch in theaters December 18th, 2026 from Marvel Studios.
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December 18, 2026
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Vanessa Kirby
Sue Storm / Invisible Lady
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Johnny Storm / Human Torch
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Ebon Moss-Bachrach
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