Here's what Chris Evans' potential return to the MCU as Captain America would mean for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. With Phase 4 now officially kicked off with WandaVision after an extended hiatus, there's once again so much to talk about Disney's superhero franchise. Aside from the confirmed slate, however, there's one more thing that has the fandom buzzing — the possibility that Evans will reprise his role as Steve Rogers on the screen in a future project.
Avengers: Endgame marked the end of the Infinity Saga, but it also functioned as the swan song to some of the MCU's founding heroes like Steve Rogers. Unlike Iron Man and Black Widow's arcs which ended in tragic deaths for the sake of the mission, however, Captain America's final fate left the door open for a potential return to the franchise. The Super Soldier did survive the Thanos debacle and succeeded in bringing back all the Infinity Stones to their original times and places. While he did get a well-deserved ending, reuniting and eventually living a full life with Peggy Carter, one would be hard-pressed to find anyone who's not even interested in seeing him back in the MCU.
So, if reports come to fruition that at the very least that Marvel Studios is in contract negotiations to have Evans reprise his role as Steve Rogers in any capacity, it could have an effect on how Phase 4 unfolds. This scenario, however, would have the strongest impact on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as the show directly tackles the legacy of the Captain America mantle. At the end of Endgame, Captain America officially chose Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon, as the next bearer of his iconic shield, thus making him his chosen successor. But based on what's revealed about the Disney+ series thus far, assuming the role won't be that easy as the government wants John Walker/US Agent as the next Captain America. Assuming that Steve appears in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam and also Bucky Barnes gain an ally that would help the former strengthen his stake on the shield. Even if Steve doesn't publicly make his presence known considering that he's perceived to be dead based on the tribute in Spider-Man: Far From Home, he could offer valuable insight and encouragement that will help Sam be more confident in taking his place as the rightful owner of the Captain America shield.
That being said, Marvel Studios would need to be careful with how much they'd use Steve in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and MCU Phase 4 in general. After the Infinity Saga, the franchise is currently in a transition period where they're ushering in new heroes to take leadership roles once held by Steve and his other fellow original Avengers. Bringing him back into the universe could ultimately backfire as interest would be more on his return than the ongoing narrative. If they were to overdo it in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, they'd run the risk of undermining Sam's personal story. One of the primary reasons why the Falcon has to go through trials and tribulations before Falcon can properly become the next Captain America in the MCU is to make him earn the title. While Steve explained why his friend is the best candidate to continue the legacy of the shield, Marvel Studios still needs to sell the idea that he is indeed worthy of the mantle; putting him through tribulations could help him gain the support of the viewers the same way they did to Steve during his time as the Star-Spangled Avenger.
Overall, as exciting as the idea of seeing Steve Rogers back in the MCU, tackling this would be extremely tricky. Depending on their approach, Marvel Studios can very easily ruin the character's perfect send-off in Endgame. Simultaneously, they could also jeopardize the future of Falcon as the next Captain America after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
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