Why Chris Evans Originally Didn't Want A Role In The MCU

Chris Evans' name has become synonymous with Captain America/Steve Rogers — the MCU superhero who is heroic from the word go. Forever humble and willing to do what it takes for the greater good, Steve Rogers was confident in his resolve to serve his country. He might not be a God or have the strength of Hulk, but his limitless drive to stand up for what's right has cemented his name as one of the most influential heroes we've seen on screen.

Captain America wasn't Chris Evans' first superhero role. He had already portrayed Human Torch in the "Fantastic Four" movie six years prior to his casting. But when he was offered the part of Captain America, Evans was hesitant to take it up. In fact, the actor repeatedly refused the mantle of Captain America because he was "scared."

Most actors who join the MCU sign contracts depending on the number of times their characters are expected to appear in the studio's movies. Robert Downey Jr. signed a six-film deal before "Iron Man 2," as did Mark Ruffalo when cast as the Hulk. When Marvel Studios reached out to Chris Evans for the role, they offered the actor a nine-picture contract, which was scary for him.

The actor explained that he had "a little social anxiety" with the film industry, and the idea of committing to a long-term franchise worried him. As Evans told Jimmy Kimmel during an interview in 2016:

"Doing movies one at a time, if all of a sudden you decide you don't want to do them anymore, you're afforded the opportunity to step back and recalibrate. When you have a giant contract, if all of a sudden you're not responding well, too bad, you gotta suit up again. That was scary."

The actor expressed his reluctance to join the MCU a few times, but the role kept being offered to him. Eventually, Chris Evans had a conversation with his friends and family and realized he was refusing to play the superhero out of fear.

"You can't do anything out of fear," Evans revealed to Kimmel, adding that he decided to take on the role for the very same reason he had refused it before — he was scared of the responsibility that came with doing a multi-film deal.

"Whatever you're scared of, push yourself into it," said Evans.

Evans negotiated the contract, and Marvel Studios altered it to a six-picture deal, with a substantially significant paycheck. While the actor's contract expired following "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018, it was extended to accommodate "Avengers: Endgame," the conclusion to the Avengers films and the penultimate film in the MCU's Phase 3.

With the release of "Avengers: Endgame," Chris Evans said his goodbyes as Steve Rogers, passing Cap's shield on to Anthony Mackie, our new Captain America.