Anthony Mackie Insists He’s Still Captain America, Even With Chris Evans Returning for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Few Marvel moments have generated as much emotion as Steve Rogers handing over his shield. Chris Evans first played the hero in 2011’s ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’, and at the end of 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’, his character passed the mantle to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson.

Mackie has carried that responsibility ever since, leading ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ in February 2025. But Evans’ return to the franchise has raised a big question for fans: if Steve is back, who exactly is Captain America now?

Mackie has now offered a clear answer. In a new interview with Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye, he confirmed that Evans is coming back to reprise his role in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, but stressed that he is still Captain America, explaining that Steve returns because there’s a big opponent to face.

The actor pointed to Marvel’s source material to make his case. Mackie noted that the comics have featured Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson fighting side by side, with both carrying the Captain America name.

His comments line up with how Marvel announced Evans’ return. The first teaser showed Rogers riding a motorcycle up to a 1950s-style home, packing away his Captain America suit and cradling a baby, before a title card read “Steve Rogers will return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday.'”

Many fans read Marvel’s choice to name Steve, rather than Captain America, as a deliberate signal. After the studio’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con in July, Mackie also told Variety that Evans would return as Steve Rogers, even hinting that he could adopt the Nomad identity from the comics.

Evans’ comeback wasn’t always a sure thing. In January 2025, Mackie told Esquire he had no idea about reports of Evans’ return, saying they had spoken weeks earlier and it hadn’t been on the table.

Anthony Mackie says Chris Evans is returning as Steve Rogers, not Captain America, in ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’ “I’m still Captain America. Like, if you look at the comic books, there are comic books where Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are together fighting as Captain America. They’re both still Captain America. It’s just Steve Rogers comes back because they have a big opponent to battle in Doomsday.” (Via: @Deadline)

— Marvel Updates (@marvel_updat3s) October 5, 2026

Evans himself disputed those reports at the time, telling the same magazine that he was happily retired. In mid-2025, while promoting ‘Materialists’ with Pedro Pascal, he even told ScreenRant it was sad not to be back with the band.

That all changed with the teaser. The Russo brothers, whose first Marvel film was 2014’s ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, celebrated on Instagram by calling Steve the character that changed their lives.

Mackie has long made it clear he sees himself as Captain America for the foreseeable future. He has previously estimated he has a solid 10 years in the role, covering the next 2 ‘Avengers’ films and hopefully another solo outing, while joking that he doesn’t want to be a 60-year-old Captain America.

New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ In theaters December 18 https://t.co/1wsiTk1Nnv

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026

His last solo outing had a rough run, though. ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ earned $415 million worldwide, with reshoots reportedly sending its budget to around $300 million.

Still, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ appears to treat Sam as the main Captain America. Steve is back, but the details of his role remain tightly under wraps. Mackie has also teased that the film won’t play it safe. He told Collider that the story pushes boundaries, ends on a major cliffhanger, and leaves no one safe.

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ hits theaters on December 18, with ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ following on December 17, 2027. Fans will soon find out how 2 Captain Americas share the spotlight against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

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