Over the last decade and change, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine, with both theatrical releases and live-action shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription. But it was a risk in the early days, where stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans signed into their roles. The latter actor retired from playing Captain America in Avengers: Endgame, although some fans are still hoping he'll return in an upcoming Marvel movie. Evans recently spoke about the state of the genre as a whole, while also claiming it's "no shade."
Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have a special place in their hearts for Evans' portrayal of Steve Rogers/ Captain America. He's had a few years away from the shared universe, as Avengers: Endgame's ending saw him finally getting his happy ending. When appearing at Emerald City Comic Con (via Twitter), Evans spoke about how tricky the genre is, offering:
[Making superhero films isn't easy]. If it was easy, there'd be a lot more good ones – not trying to throw shade. Some Marvel projects are objectively phenomenal films.
Points were made. While Marvel is behind some of the best superhero movies, the genre offers some unique challenges. And it's because of this that sometimes quality within the genre can ebb and flow. Although some projects are universally acclaimed.
Given how many years Evans spent playing Steve Rogers, he definitely knows what he's talking about regarding the comic book genre. Plus he famously played Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies prior to landing his role as Cap.
Indeed, the MCU has had a number of ups and downs, especially following the release of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. On top of mid level reviews, titles like Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels struggled at the box office. And as such, there are growing concerns about superhero fatigue.
But when superhero movies are good, they are really good. Just look at projects like Todd Phillips' Joker, which was universally acclaimed and earned Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar win for Best Actor. And Avengers: Endgame became one of the highest grossing movies of all time upon its release.
The issues of quality aren't unique to Marvel studios, as we've seen Sony struggle with some of its recent comic book outings. Morbius failed to perform at the box office...twice, and most recently Madame Web was another financial flop.
As for Chris Evans, he's given no indication that he'll be returning to the MCU anytime soon. He spent a decade as Captain America, including the physical transformation and long hours that are synonymous with these types of roles. Although if Marvel wants to return to its former glory, bringing back some OG's would likely drum up excitement.
The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Deadpool 3 on July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates.
