No one can replace Chris Evans. Period. However, Steve Rogers is not the only Marvel Comics character to wield the shield of Captain America. Evans has heavily suggested he's done playing Cap after Avengers: Endgame. One of the directors recently said he isn't actually done yet, but we know the potential exists for someone else to play the MCU hero. But fans figured it'd be Bucky or Falcon, not ... John Cena. And they're probably right!
But John Cena would love the play the character and got The Rumor Mill churning with some social media posts. Not too long ago, Ellen DeGeneres asked Cena about the Captain America rumors, and the Bumblebee star did not play coy with his affections:
If it's out there, if the Captain America people are listening and you're out there watching right now, I'll totally do it. I totally will. I think I'd be a good Captain America. I think I'd be a good Captain America. And I've already ruined everybody's childhood, so it can't get any worse!
That "ruined everybody's childhood" quip was a reference to his new haircut, which you can see in his video on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Apparently it offended some WWE fans who only approve of his buzz cut.
This whole rumor -- really a joke -- started when John Cena posted the shield on his own Instagram:
That shield image got fans debating whether John Cena was serious, just putting himself out there, or what. Some fans got quite heated at the idea. It does not take much to get Marvel fans talking about anything, especially when Chris Evans' fate was left up-in-the-air as Cap.
Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld jumped in on the fun with a mock look at John Cena as Captain America:
Right now, Chris Evans definitely owns the role of Steve Rogers, and Steve Rogers is still Captain America. Evans' contract was reportedly up with Avengers: Endgame, and it sounded like he was ready to move on. After filming, Evans shared an emotional post that read like a goodbye. But one of the Avengers co-directors suggested it was emotional because Evans knew he was not done yet, and fans would understand after the movie.
Right now, John Cena is busy playing Burns in the Transformers movie Bumblebee, which opens in theaters December 21. His pitch to be the next Captain America probably won't work out, but he seems to be doing well on the film front -- from Daddy's Home to Blockers -- and it wouldn't be shocking to see him jump into the superhero world in some fashion. (Watch DC grab him and start making little Captain America jokes.)
Bumblebee hits theaters next week, and Avengers: Endgame will reveal Captain America's fate on April 26, 2019. Here's what else is coming to theaters in 2019.
