That didn't take long! It might be time for Chris Evans to pull his shield out of the back of his closet, because he's reportedly returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After spending nearly a decade portraying Captain America onscreen, Chris stepped down from the iconic role once Avengers: Endgame was released in 2019. Now, he may be preparing to don the starry suit once again to reprise the part in some capacity for a future mystery project.
On Jan. 14, Deadline reported Chris will return as Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) in at least one more film, if not two. The outlet notes it likely won't be for another solo Captain America movie, but rather an appearance by the superhero in another Marvel flick, similar to how Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) reappeared in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The film is not set in stone, as Chris himself seemed to shut down the rumors on Thursday afternoon by tweeting, "News to me," along with a shrugging emoji. However, he did enjoy reading all the fan theories, writing, "Some of the gif responses are priceless" and "good work, everyone."
So, it remains unclear if, when and how Chris will return, but Deadline noted his options are "unlimited." According to Variety, details of his all-American comeback are still "vague."
Marvel declined to comment for E! News. We've reached out to Chris' rep as well.
The shocking move comes after Chris metaphorically and literally handed over his shield to Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson aka Falcon) in the final film, signaling his days as Captain America were done.
In 2018, he fueled rumors of his retirement from the MCU by sharing his philosophy on quitting while you're ahead: "You want to get off the train before they push you off," he told The New York Times.
The 39-year-old actor wrote an emotional tribute on Twitter after he finished filming later that year. "Officially wrapped on Avengers 4. It was an emotional day to say the least. Playing this role over the last 8 years has been an honor," he said. "To everyone in front of the camera, behind the camera, and in the audience, thank you for the memories! Eternally grateful."
Hopefully, it was more of a "see you later" than a permanent "goodbye."
He first played the character in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, making 2021 his 10-year anniversary of gracing the big screen.
However, the Knives Out star revealed last year he initially turned down the once-in-a-lifetime role.
"I had a lot of people just say to me—they understood where I was coming from—but they said it sounded like I was making decisions based on fear, which is not untrue," he said. "They said, 'You can't do that. You can't live life that way.'" He eventually accepted his fate and called it the "best decision" he's ever made.
Before we could see him again as Steve Rogers, Chris will be starring in the films Don't Look Up, The Gray Man and Lightyear.