Not only Robert Downey Jr. but Chris Evans might also be in Avengers: Doomsday. Theories explored

Production for Avengers: Doomsday is just around the corner, and the film has sparked several discussions that are exploring its premise, particularly the heroes it would bring back for one more intense battle. As Robert Downey Jr. has already been tapped to play the main antagonist—Doctor Doom—many have wondered if Chris Evans' Steve Rogers would make a return, too. While there have been rumors that both Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are set to make an appearance in the new film, a quick fact check is necessary here.

As both of those characters met their end in the fourth Avengers movie, Avengers: Endgame, fans around the world have speculated about whether either or both would return. With Avengers: Doomsday on the distant horizon, the huge question is: is it possible that both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans could return to reprise their iconic heroic roles?

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Possibilities of Steve Rogers returning as Captain America

According to sources, there have been talks of Steve Rogers returning to the MCU in a new role—an evil Captain America who will be a distinct mirror from his original character. The theory has solidified under recent comments made by X-Men writer Chris Claremont, who, in one of his recent public appearances, spoke about Evans' return in the film. He stated,

"But then Chris Evans is playing Captain America, young Captain America, evil Captain America, Captain Hydra or something like that… Lord Hydra, whatever… It’s like, why didn’t they just cast the original Avengers as all the characters? Villains, you know, assistants, sidekicks."

Evans has denied the possibility of his return to the MCU, but we have seen actors denying their roles a number of times in the Marvel Cinematic Universe just to keep the secret that we were shocked by in the theaters. Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire announced years ago they would never be returning in Spider-Man: No Way Home until the film was released in theatres.

Knowing the MCU and the Russo Brothers, this storyline is very much possible. But how would Steve return as a more 'evil' counterpart of his character? Here's a theory.

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Here's how Steve Rogers could actually return to the MCU

One of the most standout transitions in the MCU’s storytelling came with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home, where the multiverse concept was first introduced to Marvel fans. This fundamental shift opened the doors for a multitude of alternate timelines, alternate versions of characters, and alternate universes. The same can also be seen in the TV series Loki and his adventures with time. Since the multiverse has been introduced, it is entirely possible there could be both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, just maybe not as the same versions of the characters we saw in Endgame.

It is worth noting that the multiverse opens up endless possibilities. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced us to the notion that variants of the same character can play out, no matter the character, based on their own choices of consequence. For example, in one universe, Steve Rogers may still be the noble soldier we know and love; in another, he could be a corrupted hero with an authoritarian viewpoint.

From a multiverse perspective, the audience's hopes for a different version of Steve Rogers seem entirely viable. Fans seem especially enamored with the possible dark, Hydra-influenced Steve Rogers from his runs in classic Marvel Comics.

On the other hand, Avengers: Infinity War (2018) dropped a major plot development that could set the stage for an evil Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday. The film introduces a resurrected Red Skull, who was presumed dead earlier on, living on Vormir, acting as the Soul Stone's keeper. As we know, the soul stone can manipulate people into turning into different versions of themselves.

In the comics, Red Skull had a run-in with the Soul Stone in a storyline in which he used the Soul Stone to manipulate Captain America into believing he was a sleeper agent for Hydra. In comics such as "Avengers: Standoff" (2016) and "Secret Empire" (2017), the Cosmic Cube restores Steve Rogers to his original youthful self (similar to the Tesseract in the MCU) and controls him as a Hydra agent. This storyline could easily be adapted to the MCU and have Red Skull find a way to use the Soul Stone to alter Steve Rogers' timeline into a villainous version of Captain America. The references to Red Skull's connection with the Soul Stone can be effortlessly inserted into Avengers: Doomsday, while having the possibility of being an alternate version of Steve Rogers, brainwashed and manipulated by Hydra.

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How Tony Stark could return to the MCU

With the multiverse in play, Marvel could bring about an iteration of Stark that never died, perhaps in an alternate timeline or maybe even in a variant of himself that hasn’t gone through the emotional and physical damage that the original Stark had. But a more plausible storyline would be in which Stark's subconscious is built into a new suit or even taken on by another sentient technology, as has happened in the comics with Tony Stark.

In the comics, he has died multiple times, and in one of these events, he was under the influence of Immortus, who makes him commit crimes and kill people, and he dies eventually. He is then replaced by a younger Stark from a different timeline, and later Franklin Richards, Reed Richards' son, resurrects the original Stark and merges them both. This goes on to show that multiple storylines exploring his return can be navigated in Doomsday.

Furthermore, it can be noted in the MCU that Stark's legacy has impacted characters like Peter Parker, who saw Stark as a mentor. If Stark were to return now, it could lead to deeper emotional points and further narrative growth for characters who were closest to him. The reunion with Pepper Potts or even his daughter Morgan Stark might feel like worthy emotional beats, especially if Stark's return was framed as a commentary on the journey of the MCU, since his death significantly changed things.

Avengers: Doomsday is currently under production and is set to hit the theaters on May 1, 2026.