Captain America Actor Chris Evans Wasn't Supposed to Play Old Man Steve in Avengers: Endgame
After appearing in seven Marvel Studios movies (or nine if you count the cameos), Chris Evans [...]
After appearing in seven Marvel Studios movies (or nine if you count the cameos), Chris Evans received an epic sendoff as Captain America in the closing moments of Avengers: Endgame. Steve Rogers reappeared as an old man moments after traveling through time, revealing the Super Soldier finally was able to have a life worth living alongside the love of his life Peggy Carter. This scene was accomplished through a combination of makeup, prosthetics, and subtle visual effects to make Evans look like a 90-year-old man. But this wasn't always the plan for Captain America's sendoff in Avengers: Endgame.
According to Falcon actor Anthony Mackie, Marvel Studios had something else in mind for Steve Rogers' final scene in the MCU. As Mackie explained on The Jess Cagle Show, Evans wasn't even originally planned to play the older version of Cap in the film.
"Well, it's funny they actually wanted to cast an old dude to play Chris Evans. So they brought in like three actors," said Mackie. "They're like, none of these, like this, isn't how Chris will look when he's old. Like, he's gonna, he's like George Clooney. He's going to be 95 and still like handsome, you know? So they, they brought in a makeup team and prosthetics and makeup and made them into an old man. And how good of an actor Chris is it actually worked like he, he pulled it off with his voice and everything. He did a great job."
This moment from Avengers: Endgame led to a symbolic passing of the shield, with Steve handing over his prized possession to Mackie's Falcon. While fans assume this means the mantle of Captain America will be taken on by Sam Wilson, Mackie said that won't be the case in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — at least not right away.
"The show, the idea of the show is basically, you know, and at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Cap decided he was going into retirement and he asked me if I would take up the shield, but at no point in time, did I agree to or say that I would be Captain America," Mackie explained. "So the show walks the line of who is going to take up the shield and who's going to be Captain America if Steve isn't coming back."
Fans will get to follow Sam Wilson's journey in the shadow of Cap when The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premieres on Disney+ on March 19th.
