The Only Steve Rogers Explainer You Need Before Avengers: Doomsday

Steve Rogers will return in "Avengers: Doomsday." While the plot details are as hidden as Robert Downey Jr.'s face under Doctor Doom's mask, an early teaser trailer gave fans a tantalizing glimpse at the retired superhero's return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The peacefully-shot scenes show Rogers riding his motorcycle down a country road to his house, unboxing his iconic costume, and holding and smiling at his newborn baby. Yes, a lot has happened to this hero over the years. If you need a refresher, check out the video above for everything you need to know about Steve Rogers before you race to your local cineplex for "Avengers: Doomsday."

Chris Evans debuted as Steve Rogers in 2011's "Captain America: The First Avenger." Set during World War II, the film introduces Rogers as a scrawny but scrappy youth eager to do his patriotic duty. Chosen as the test subject for the experimental Super Soldier Serum, Rogers is transformed into Captain America. Note, however, that the teaser for "Avengers: Doomsday" states that "Steve Rogers" will return, not Captain America. Rogers is just one of Marvel's many Captain Americas, and he personally gave his shield to his friend Sam Wilson, so whether or not he will take up the Cap mantle once more remains to be seen.

The return of Steve Rogers is one reason why "Avengers: Doomsday" will blow us all away in 2026. The film sees Earth's mightiest heroes joining the X-Men and the Fantastic Four in a battle against the despotic Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) for the fate of the multiverse. It remains to be seen how exactly Steve Rogers will come back, given that "Endgame," true to its name, seemed to resolve his storyline definitively. Chris Evans did cameo in "Deadpool & Wolverine" as Johnny Storm (reprising the role from the mid-2000s "Fantastic Four" films), but for years, it seemed like his time as Steve Rogers was over.

Rumors that Evans would return as Captain America swirled as early as 2021, despite denials from the actor and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. However, in a 2023 interview with GQ, Evans said, "Yeah, maybe," when questioned about returning to Marvel. He continued, "But I'm also very precious with it. It's something that I am very proud of...I wouldn't want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab."

Considering the pride Evans has in playing the beloved Marvel hero (which incidentally made him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time), one hopes that "Avengers: Doomsday" will do justice to Steve Rogers. His amazing story spans nearly 100 years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so if you want to catch up, be sure to click on the above video for the ultimate Steve Rogers recap.