Marvel has a history of treating its stars like chess pieces in a game of endless sequels and spin-offs. 5l5m12

Chris Evans had a glorious run as Steve Rogers, but now that the franchise is pivoting to new faces and new stories, one can’t help but wonder if Marvel’s decision to move forward without him feels a little, well, cold. Evans recently opened up about his exclusion from Avengers: Doomsday, and his words were tinged with a kind of bittersweet sadness that fans are already interpreting as a subtle dig at Marvel’s decision-making.

Speaking with Screenrant for his movie Materialists — a project that pairs him with Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal — Evans was asked the inevitable question about his absence from the MCU’s next big team-up movie. His response was candid, heartfelt, and yes, a little heartbreaking. While he didn’t outright criticize Marvel, Evans itted that it’s tough to watch from the sidelines as his former collaborators — the Russo Brothers, who directed some of the most beloved MCU films, and Robert Downey Jr., who’s returning as Doctor Doom —gear up for another Marvel blockbuster. “It’s sad to not be back with the band,” he said, summing up what so many fans have been feeling since his departure.

When Steve Rogers handed over his iconic shield to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) at the end of Avengers: Endgame, it was meant to be a definitive goodbye. Evans himself has spoken about wanting to leave the character on a high note, rather than overstaying his welcome. And to his credit, Endgame gave Steve Rogers a perfect send-off — a poignant, time-bending finale in which he chose love and a quiet life over endless battles.

But even the most definitive endings in Hollywood rarely stay that way. Over the past year, rumors have swirled about Evans potentially reprising his role in Avengers: Doomsday. Speculation reached a fever pitch when reports suggested that Evans and Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter) might make appearances together, sparking hopes that Steve Rogers would somehow be woven into the MCU’s next phase. Marvel, as always, remained tight-lipped, refusing to confirm or deny anything. And now, with Evans’ latest remarks, it seems those rumors were just that — rumors.

Still, it’s hard not to feel like something is missing when you consider what Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be. The Russo Brothers are returning to helm this new chapter. Robert Downey Jr., who defined the MCU’s early years as Tony Stark/Iron Man, is back — albeit in a different role as Doctor Doom. The film promises to be a nostalgic callback to the MCU’s glory days, which makes Evans’ absence all the more glaring.

It’s 2025, so we can officially say that the next Avengers movie will be with us next year! After years of the MCU’s once vibranium-plated reputation taking a beating, it truly feels like a long time since Avengers: Endgame sailed to cinematic superstardom and became (almost) the highest-grossing film of all time with ease. Can Avengers: Doomsday find the same success when it releases in May 2026?

Well, as Deadpool & Wolverine proved, bringing back a boatload of familiar faces for the occasion definitely won’t hurt its chances. Luckily, a bevy of Marvel’s best and brightest are already being assembled behind the scenes. Rest assured, it’s not just the Russo brothers who are making their much-anticipated directorial returns to the MCU for this one. Here’s every actor linked to Doomsday to date.

Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom) 506n8

Well, this one goes without saying. Avengers: Doomsday‘s very existence came with the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would be playing its title character, with the Iron Man icon swapping one metal mask for another as he leaves behind Tony Stark for Victor Von Doom. Expect fans to continue debating the pros and cons of this explosive casting twist for years to come.

Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing) 3fb2r

Similarly, at the same Comic-Con presentation as the Downey revelation, Marvel Studios bigwig Kevin Feige confirmed that Downey would be ed by four other cast , although unlike him, this quartet are newbies to the MCU scene. Feige assured us that the primary cast of this July’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps will return ASAP for roles in Doomsday. So expect Pascal’s Reed Richards, Kirby’s Sue Storm, Quinn’s Johnny Storm, and Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm to travel from their own universe to the Sacred Timeline.

Anthony Mackie (Captain America) 2o543

Trust the loose-lipped Anthony Mackie to confirm something he shouldn’t about his MCU future. While he’s not Mark Ruffalo or Tom Holland (more on him in a moment), Mackie has a habit of saying things he maybe shouldn’t. That said, in this case, finding out the current Captain America will appear in Avengers: Doomsday is hardly a surprise.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on set with the Russos, they understand this Marvel world in a very unique way,” Mackie gushed to Empire Magazine about his excitement for Doomsday. “And just having [Downey] back adds so much. To see what he brings to the table is just a huge opportunity.”

Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) 1nv19

Likewise, no one’s shocked to hear that the would-be Sorcerer Supreme is likewise on hand to return for Doomsday. No, not Wong — although he’d better be in the movie or we’ll riot — but Doctor Strange. Funnily enough, Cumberbatch confirmed his own casting with some comments that are almost word for word what Mackie said, suggesting Marvel may have given them a sheet to read from.

“I’m really excited not only to work with the Russo Brothers again, but to have Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom,” Cumberbatch told Japanese outlet TV Groove. “I think there’s going to be some really cool developments ahead.”

Chris Evans (Steve Rogers?) 61t8

That’s it for those who have confirmed the news from their own mouths, so we’re having to rely on trusted reporting from now on. For starters, fans were thrilled when Variety announced in early December 2024 that Chris Evans would be back for Avengers 5. According to the trade’s sources, he’ll play a significant role, too, although it’s too early to confirm which of his Marvel multiversal characters he’ll portray. Still, given who else is back, we can likely hazard a guess…

Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter?) 1k5cn

Just a few days after the Evans news, Deadline reported that Hayley Atwell had ed him in g up for Avengers: Doomsday. Again, specific details are thin on the ground, but given how early she’s been hired we can assume Atwell has a big role to play in the Russos’ plans. Likewise, while she may be reprising Captain Carter from What If…? and Doctor Strange 2, the presence of Evans indicates Atwell could be back as the OG Peggy Carter. Are we finally about to find out what happened to Steve and Peggy after Endgame?

Tom Holland (Spider-Man) 5o4b41

Many overlooked this, but back when Tom Holland was confirmed to be teaming up with Spider-Man co-star and IRL girlfriend Zendaya for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey adaptation, THR‘s breaking of the story revealed one intriguing detail. The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Holland has three projects to shoot in 2025, with his Nolan venture and Spider-Man 4 ed by a “likely stop” in Avengers: Doomsday. Fingers crossed he brings Andrew and Tobey with him.

Charlie Cox (Daredevil) 1v2x3n

Oops! Daredevil: Born Again isn’t even out yet but it seems we know Charlie Cox will be back soon after in Doomsday. The actor’s gym, DFRNT Health and Fitness, shared more than was probably wise in an Instagram post in December, in which a caption of the star working up a sweat read: “Charlie is currently training for his role in the @marvel Avengers movie where he will play @daredevil.” The caption eventually changed to “Charlie is currently training for a new role,” but Kevin Feige’s sniper’s weren’t quick enough for eagle-eyed Marvel fans.

Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), David Harbour (Red Guardian), Wyatt Russell (U.S. Agent), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost), and Olga Kurylenko (Taskmaster) 5m3i35

Now we’re in 2025, Avengers: Doomsday is starting to feel a little more real with Production Weekly sharing a new production listing which may just reveal a few juicy tidbits. Like, for instance, that filming is scheduled to begin in late March in London. What’s more, that the cast of Thunderbolts* will apparently feature, too. This would make a lot of sense, seeing as the dysfunctional dynamic of the anti-hero team makes them the obvious equivalents of the Guardians in Avengers: Infinity War.

Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) 2f4g1t

What’s more eyebrow-raising is the fact that Production Weekly also have Elizabeth Olsen listed among the cast. So far, Marvel has been doing its darndest to leave the exact fate of Wanda Maximoff up in the air, with even WandaVision spin-off Agatha All Along hedging its bets. With the window for a potential Scarlet Witch film narrowing, it seems Olsen’s grand comeback could occur in Doomsday itself.

Ana De Armas (???) 6h4k6a

The most unexpected detail to come from Production Weekly, however, has to be the reference to Ana De Armas being “mentioned for a role” — no, I don’t know what that means either. Clearly, she’s not locked in just yet, but it would make sense for Chris Evans’ old pal and two-time former co-star to him in Doomsday. Could De Armas be playing a key new character, or are we looking at another “Peter Dinklage pops up in Infinity War and is never seen again” sitch here?

Since the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, there have been many questions as to where the MCU is headed. While many things have changed since then, the film, Doomsday, may be a return to form.

The film will feature the return of Robert Downey Jr. in the franchise since his departure as Tony Stark in 2019. Tony was given the proper send-off that was empowering and emotional. Thankfully, this ending won’t be toyed with as Downey Jr. is returning as a different character. After the fallout of the Jonathan Majors drama, the MCU alum will be the first in the current era of the franchise to portray the iconic Fantastic Four villain, Doctor Doom. Fans aren’t the only ones who are excited. Another famous doctor has also contributed his opinion about the news. According to TVGroove, Benedict Cumberbatch who plays former Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange was nothing but ive of the news.

Of course, everything is being held close to the vest for now but this could mean a new beginning for the MCU. Chris Evans is returning for Doomsday as well, though it’s unclear what his role may be. The multiverse offers many tantalizing options that will ensure fans will tune in. The MCU has been inspiring many questions, some more pressing than others.

Will Doctor Doom appear in Fantastic Four? 2j6b10

When the MCU was in a bind, enlisting a fan-favorite actor was the best course of action. The plans for Kang Dynasty were scorched earth and the best conclusion was to bring back a crowd-pleaser. Robert Downey Jr. effectively started the modern era of Marvel with his depiction of Iron Man and enough time ed since the character’s death to make that work.

It is also likely that Downey Jr. won’t be the ultimate iteration of the character. With the multiverse in play, the actor will likely just be a Doom variant and Doom Prime could be cast with another actor when the time comes. The question remains, will Doom appear in his known franchise in addition to Doomsday?

Victor Von Doom is a classic adversary for the Fantastic Four, a group that is finally making its way into the MCU. After the original films in the early aughts, the oldest Marvel team-up had the potential for a new life with Josh Trank’s 2015 film. Starring Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, the movie tanked after many reported reshoots. The MCU has been gunshy about the ensemble since then, but they are finally getting their chance to shine throughout the cosmos once more.

A Fantastic Four film is in the works, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn in leading roles. The third time may be the charm, but there has been no news if Doom will make an appearance. The Fantastic Four is reportedly jumping right to Galactus, having cast Ralph Ineson in the role. Julia Garner will also reportedly star as the Silver Surfer, one of Galactus’ heralds. The return of MCU alums along with the long-awaited introduction of a famous team may be the changes that Marvel has needed all this time.

Chris Evans comebacks are like buses, apparently: you wait ages for one to come along and then two arrive at once. One of the best surprises in Deadpool & Wolverine was the Captain America icon’s cameo, which saw him reprise not Steve Rogers but Fantastic Four‘s Human Torch. Apparently, his brief role in the irreverent blockbuster threequel left him missing the Marvel life as reports say Evans is returning to the MCU yet again for its biggest film.

As first claimed by The Wrap, Evans has signed up to make another appearance in the never-ending superhero cinematic universe in Avengers: Doomsday, aka Avengers 5, the next outing for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes coming in May 2026. Evans isn’t the only MCU icon making a grand return for this one, of course, as Robert Downey Jr. was unveiled to be playing the (almost) eponymous Doctor Doom in the film over the summer — the very same weekend Deadpool 3 released, in fact.

The exact nature of Evans’ involvement in Doomsday remains cloaked in mystery, however. While Downey will surely play a major role as the movie’s main villain, The Wrap reports that it’s unclear how integral Evans’ role will be… or even what his role will be. Once upon a time, that would’ve been an easy question to solve, but with Deadpool & Wolverine bringing him back as Johnny Storm instead of Cap, and the Multiverse Saga coming to a head in Doomsday and its 2027 sequel Secret Wars, all bets are off. So let’s run through the different options.

Steve Rogers 184e6m

Storytelling-wise, it would obviously make the most sense to bring Evans back as his most beloved role, that of the Sentinel of Liberty himself, Steve Rogers. After all, what exactly happened to Old Man Cap after Endgame is one of the MCU’s biggest unanswered questions. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier even joked that he had relocated to the moon. Considering that the Inhumans’ city of Attilan is also found on the moon, that sounds like a delicious one-two punch of a cameo waiting to happen.

On the other hand, Evans has voiced reluctance for the idea of returning as Steve after saying goodbye to him so conclusively in Endgame. Likewise, would the Russo brothers really want to undo their own perfect ending for the character in the very next Avengers movie? While there might be many dangling plot-threads regarding how the heck Steve’s time travel worked, maybe it’s best to let sleeping Caps lie.

Human Torch 4j5q4a

R.I.P. Void Johnny Storm, you beautiful pottymouth, you. Yes, the particular version of Human Torch encountered by Wade and Logan might’ve been killed by Cassandra Nova, but there’s a whole multiverse of variants where he came from. Should Evans and the Russos wish it, it would be all too easy for him to make a second comeback as his original Marvel character.

The obvious way to top his prior Deadpool cameo would be to have Evans this time reunite with his original superhero team- — Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, and Michael Chiklis, his cohorts in the FF films from the mid-aughts. You know fans would lose it if the OG gang got to meet Pedro Pascal’s MCU incarnation of the first fam.

This would be the perfect way to bring Evans back for another punch-the-air cameo, but if the plan is to use him in a more significant capacity then Marvel may be planning to go with a third, much more mischievous, option…

Evil Captain America h2t42

The thing is, Jeremy Renner might’ve already told us exactly what Marvel has planned for Doomsday. Shortly after the DowneyDoom announcement, the Hawkeye star itted that he suspected the entire original Avengers lineup would be brought back alongside him — and this additional Evans news makes that all the more likely. The only thing is the intention might not be to simply bring them back as their old characters.

Fans may bristle at the idea, but RDJ’s casting can only mean that Doom will be an evil Tony Stark variant… So why not bring his co-stars back as their own dark counterparts? Rumors have claimed exactly this, with these Evil Avengers potentially serving as Doom’s henchmen — similar to Thanos’ Black Order in Infinity War and Endgame. We already got a jokey hint at HYDRA Cap in that 2019 film, but this could be Evans’ opportunity to really bring a corrupted Steve Rogers to life.

Or, you know, maybe he’s playing a Squirrel Girl variant (Squirrel Guy?). The important thing is, he’s back. Let the Evans-naissance begin!

Fanfare was already at fever pitch when Robert Downey Jr. was announced as part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, but it’s about to hit the stratosphere with news of another beloved superhero’s return for the highly anticipated Marvel entry. 

Sources have officially confirmed that Chris Evans will return to the MCU with a role in Doomsday, some seven years after sunsetting his character, Captain America, in Avengers: Endgame. According to The Wrap, the actor’s role in the Avengers installment is officially confirmed, but the extent and exact nature of his return is not yet known. It will follow Evans’ appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine, which saw him reenter the MCU not as Steve Rogers, but as a revived version of his Fantastic Four character, Johnny Storm. 

Evans’ return confirms rumors that have long been circulating in Marvel fan circles in anticipation of Doomsday, but the circumstances around the nature of his role remain somewhat of a question mark. By the end of Endgame, Steve Rogers is an old man, but Downey Jr.’s reprisal of his role as a variant of Iron Man (named Doctor Doom) for Doomsday means that all options are on the table for Evans’ character. Could he too be a variant in the Avengers installment? Or perhaps Steve Rogers is still able to kick butt well into his twilight years?

Answers to those questions will probably remain unknown until 2026, when Doomsday is scheduled for release. It has also been speculated that Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson character will also return as Captain America, making Evans’ potential return as the same superhero feel less likely. It will mark Evans’ fifth Avengers film, but it’s not yet known whether his payday is quite as eye-watering as the one reportedly snagged by Downey Jr. 

The Russo Brothers, who directed both Evans and Downey Jr. in various Marvel titles, including Endgame, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War — will again helm Doomsday and its direct sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars. Alongside Downey Jr. and Evans, other castmates confirmed to appear in Doomsday include all of the new Fantastic Four actors, namely Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (a more definitive version of the character following Evans’ Deadpool cameo). 

While the big screen return of Evan and Downey Jr. might’ve been enough to satisfy even the most diehard Avengers fans, there’s speculation that even more characters from the superhero group could appear in Doomsday. In August Hawkeye actor Jeremy Renner suggested that while it would be “challenging to get everyone [from Avengers] together” for Doomsday, he still “think[s] we’ll probably be doing it.” 

Exactly who is included in that “we” remains to be seen, but given Marvel’s multiverse-jumping antics of late, it’s possible that even dead characters might somehow reappear, especially for a Marvel movie event like Doomsday. For his part, Thanos actor Josh Brolin said in October that he would “do anything that the Russos wanted me to do,” including a return for Doomsday, on the proviso that “it fits” with the story of the film. 

Many in the entertainment industry demonstrate their versatility by taking on a diverse range of roles on the big screen. The ability to adapt to different characters and genres not only showcases their broad talent but also helps them stay relevant.

The same can be said for Avengers actor Chris Evans, who has shown that he’s capable of tackling a wide range of genres, from comedy and drama to superhero action. However, there’s one type of movie that he’s been waiting to star in, as he revealed in a recent interview with People. “I’m waiting to do an actual musical film. I want to sing. And dance. That’s what I want,” the actor proclaimed.

Evans’ most recent film is Red One, where he stars opposite Dwayne Johnson, and his co-star praised him, saying that Evans is “crazy talented musically.” Evans itted that starring in a musical would be difficult, as he believes it should be done right for it to be a success. Despite the challenges, the Avengers star appears fully committed to the idea of taking on a musical project if the opportunity arises.

“I’m very precious with it and I want to make sure it’s the right thing. So yeah, that’s always in the works,” he said, adding that the possibility of starring in a musical will definitely get his attention. “That’s the quickest way to get me in a room. If you say it’s going to be a musical, I’m listening,” he said.

Chris Evans has showcased his vocal talents 4bb46

Evans participated in musical theater in his youth and hopes he would be cast in a musical film as an adult. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2019, he recalled how he heard about Steven Spielberg doing a movie version of West Side Story. He expressed his desire to be in it, but his team told him he couldn’t do it because he was “too old.”

Evans has shown off his vocal chops in a few of the movies he’s starred in. In the 2010 action-adventure movie The Losers, Evans portrayed the role of Jensen and in one scene, he sang Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” acapella. The following year, he starred in the romantic comedy film What’s Your Number? as Colin Shea, wherein he sang “Three Times a Lady” by Lionel Richie and “Just What I Needed” by The Cars. In an interview with Collider, Evans was asked about how he felt singing, to which he replied, “I do play the guitar and, once upon a time, I used to sing. That wasn’t too bad. It’s still awkward to do it in front of people, but I wasn’t too scared.”

It seems Evans has gotten over his singing jitters, as he’s excited at the prospect of singing and dancing in a musical. That dream almost came true a few years ago when he was set to star in the movie remake of the musical Little Shop of Horrors along with fellow Avengers star Scarlett Johansson and Welsh actor Taron Egerton. However, the film was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022, it was confirmed to have been shelved. 

According to Egerton, the project “just fizzled out,” but Evans was hopeful that it could still proceed. “I love when Chris Evans talks about it because he’s keeping the hope alive, keeping that candle burning, but at the moment, my understanding is it’s completely dormant,” Egerton said in 2022. Let’s hope someone in Hollywood makes Evans’ wish a reality.

Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans delivered a true stinker with Red One. This one’s stench is destined to linger on the careers of everyone involved. That said, the run-of-the-mill, cliché-filled bomb can at least, when everything is said and done, say it didn’t lose as much money as everyone thought it would.

In the lead-up to the film’s release, Johnson infamously made yet another gaffe about how he expected the film to be as well received as Oppenheimer. He thought that not only would it use IMAX, but the film would also feature his large chest so it has to be a sure hit. Unfortunately for Johnson and Evans, both of whom desperately need a hit, the audience seemed to believe they deserved a bit more from their Christmas film.

The intention behind Red One was actually quite noble. These days, there are kids who are attuned to action comedies in the style of the Fast & Furious franchise, and the idea of creating a movie around Santa Claus as an action hero — where gift-giving becomes a mission only he can complete — is potentially intriguing. With this in mind, casting Johnson, J.K. Simmons, and Evans under the penmanship of the Fast saga’s Chris Morgan made it seem like their work was half done.

However, the end product turned out to be a misguided, unoriginal mash-up of far better movies executed in sharper ways. With no considerable humor or Christmas spirit, Red One failed to resonate. Rather than taking risks, it seemed far too interested in patronizing previous cinematic trends than in genuinely entertaining or possibly even moving its audience. As a result, critics tore it apart. Those audience who did check it out left the theaters with only bad things to say. In all likelihood, this movie will be forgotten long before winter arrives.

Meanwhile, social media s were quick to mock the movie, pointing out how ridiculous Johnson’s statement about making Red One comparable to Oppenheimer now looks in retrospect. The movie has only made $34 million on a bloated $250 million budget, a fact that further fueled online ridicule.

Still, there is a silver lining to this colossal failure. A major rejection like this from audiences can serve as a wake-up call for studios — especially new entrants like Amazon’s MGM Studios, which handled production and domestic distribution of this movie. It shows that audiences remain strongly attached to great stories with genuine perspective and, most importantly, originality. This bomb proves that fans will settle for nothing less.

Ultimately, the legacy of Red One seems to be fans discovering that Johnson allegedly shows up to work eight hours late. One can only wish they had used that downtime to do more work on the script and make it at least a little inventive. If not for Johnson, then at least for Evans. And speaking of Evans, if his recent picks aren’t going to break the box office anyway, perhaps it’s time for him to go back to his roots and collaborate with auteur directors like Bong Joon-ho and Edgar Wright.

Red One seeks to merge high-octane action with kooky CGI monsters, all in an attempt to earn its place among the crop of Christmas movies that have stood the test of time. But this action-comedy’s overambition is its greatest downfall.

Once again, it’s clear that Dwayne Johnson is right at home with being typecast. While he may be surrounded by the larger-than-life fictional personalities that make the holidays great, Red One is yet another avenue to showcase Johnson’s colossal physicality. Some softness does manifest during the movie’s lengthy two-hour runtime, but this feat is largely attributed to his pairing with Chris Evans.

In Red One, Santa Claus (or at least a jacked-up version of him played by J.K. Simmons) has been kidnapped on Christmas Eve. Now, it’s up to the head of the North Pole’s security team (Dwayne Johnson) to bring him back and save Christmas. To accomplish this, he teams up with an infamous hacker named Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans). Topping off the cast are: Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Kristofer Hivju, and Nick Kroll. 

As the buzz for Red One began to increase, social media couldn’t help but notice the film’s alarmingly high budget of almost $250 million. For such a massive sum, you’d expect fireworks. But Red One suffers from only providing short bursts of action and no emotional investment in anything that’s happening. The blame game will have you pointing to Dwayne Johnson, due to a previously established sense of grandiosity, but Jake Kasdan’s direction is also not helping matters.

The pacing is not only erratic, but it aims for eye-catching moments rather than anything meaningful. While this succeeds in awarding the audience with slick action sequences, these eye-candy scenes quickly evaporate into nothingness and don’t move the story forward. Altogether, Red One is completely unsure of what it wants to be. Through forced humor, which undermines the tension, and chains of activities devoid of emotional payoff, Red One, is simply unrewarding.

Strangely enough, Johnson’s charisma, his saving grace as an actor, is largely missing from his performance. Evans, for his part, delivers much of what you’d expect from a former comedic actor. While his time in the MCU saw him move past his comedy film catalog, Red One reminds the audience of how great his timing is. Thankfully, his lighter energy rubs off on Johnson, resulting in Red One‘s funniest moments.

On the topic of the film’s outrageous budget, which rivals some of the best superhero movies ever released, there is no excuse. Red One could have been made with half of this amount, which begs the question of the delusions of grandeur that possessed the suits and ties to greenlight the project. There’s too much happening in the movie, and simultaneously, nothing is happening. Between the fairly predictable twists, the jokes have a hard time landing, and the CGI becomes unbearable after a while. The over-reliance on visual effects takes away any kind of groundedness from the film, and distracts from an obvious lack of substance, or any kind of character development.

But beyond all the displays, fight scenes, and a swole J.K. Simmons, Red One’s strong suit, and possibly its redeeming quality, is its mindlessness. This is a movie that was made, not to teach any lessons, but to distract you from everyday life, using CGI explosions, a talking polar bear, and a power slap competition. The best way to experience Red One is to go in with rock bottom expectations, and just enjoy the extravaganza of it all. After all, in case you forgot, it cost a staggering quarter of a billion dollars to make.

Unfortunately, for those in search of holiday magic, Red One isn’t a good choice. The film lacks Christmas charm, and substitutes warm feelings for cold-hearted action. Coupled with a generic plot with no room for surprises, it’s something that, at best, is a mild distraction.

It’s election day, folks. For Americans across the country, the time has come to cast our ballots for one of two historic candidates.

If Kamala Harris is victorious this week, she’ll become the United States’ first female president, first Asian-American president, and second-ever Black president. She’ll shatter a glass ceiling that’s loomed over this country for more than three centuries, and harken in a new American era.

If Donald Trump wins this election, he’ll become the first convicted felon to achieve the title of Commander in Chief. He’ll also become the first impeached former president to secure a victory following impeachment, and he’ll be tied for the oldest president ever inaugurated.

No matter who wins, we’ll make history this week, but there’s no denying the massive gap between these two candidates. Major names on either side of the political aisle are carefully reminding us of the divide between Harris and Trump, but some are doing a much better job of it. Conservative talking head Ryan Fournier didn’t quite land his intended shade toward Harris the day ahead of the election, but a hero-adjacent American came in clutch with a sizzling retort.

Fournier shared an image on Nov. 4 blasting Harris for… something. It’s not really clear what he’s criticizing the Democratic candidate for, since his carping is attached to a perfectly innocuous photo of the Vice President, but he did attach the phrase “Perfect photo of why I don’t want this woman to be President.” The image in question shows Harris, suited up in front of the American flag, holding the hands of two little girls wearing masks. The girls in question are Black, a detail that shouldn’t matter one bit, but it certainly seems to be a factor in far-right Fournier’s outrage.

Chris Evans, but not the one you’re thinking, then took to X to cook Fournier with six simple words, blatantly questioning “what is this supposed to mean” in response to the weirdly-presented tweet. The small business owner shares a name with the one and only Captain America — not to mention the Human Torch and of course Curtis Everett — and it seems he shares a political party with him too. His simple question speaks for us all, as we eye Fournier’s head-scratcher of a tweet and wonder which detail set the sleaze off.

Was it the Blackness of all three subjects? It’s certainly a possibility, given the brazen racism displayed by so many in the Trump camp, but that almost seems too easy. Most conservatives at least try to bury their bigotry beneath honeyed words or translucent shields, but in the era of Trump, they’ve all become emboldened.

There’s another potential trigger at play that may be the true culprit: Those masks. The little girls holding Harris’ hands are both masked-up, and we know how the party of strength and firepower crumples at the sight of a piece of cloth. There’s a very real possibility that Fournier’s whinging is a result of those masks, since safety is — in the minds of some — a disqualifying factor.

It’s an absurd stance to take, and no one let Fournier forget it. Responses to both his tweet and the re-share from Evans are scathing, and blast Fournier and his paper-thin skin for landing on the wrong side of history — history that’s about to be made by our first Madame President.

Dwayne Johnson is no stranger to an on-screen buddy action film, and while Kevin Hart has been a mainstay partner for this position over the last decade, a new challenger has arrived in the form of Chris Evans.

Johnson and Evans co-star in the Christmas-action film Red One, which looks to be this year’s most obscure holiday movie. Ahead of its holiday release, Red One has held its first screenings, and according to those who attended, the best part of the movie is the chemistry between its two main players.

That’s right, The Rock and Evans might just be the next big cinema tag team, as bromance-loving fans have championed the duo after seeing them share the screen in Red One. Almost every reaction, positive or otherwise, has mentioned just how great the two actors play off of each other in the holiday-themed romp.

Red One has been described as a thrilling Christmas adventure for the whole family by film journalist Rama’s Screen, and this sentiment was shared by several other moviegoers. Some praised the unique, fresh take on a holiday movie which seems to be taken entirely seriously by its cast despite the ridiculous premise. Alongside Evans and Johnson, Red One also stars J. K. Simmons, Lucy Liu and Kiernan Shipka.

Of course, not all of the first reactions to the movie have been quite as glowing. Reviewer Jonathan Sim slammed the movie by calling it mind-numbing and cheap-looking despite its hefty budget. “[Red One] isn’t funny enough to justify the absurdity,” Sim wrote on social media.

The look of Red One is something that has been criticized ever since the very first trailer dropped. Many fans were shocked and surprised about how it looked visually, especially given the amount of money thrown at the production which exceeds that of several Transformers movies.

While we can’t speak on the quality of the film just yet, fans aren’t wrong about the cost. Red One is one of the most expensive Christmas movies ever made, with a gigantic budget of $250 million. However, Amazon MGM Studios is hoping to grow this release into a franchise, so the big upfront investment isn’t unexpected.

According to Deadline, Red One is expected to have a US opening of $36 million, which isn’t fantastic but isn’t completely awful. With the star power on display, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the movie perform well, but we should have a better idea of just how successful it will be once full reviews are made available.

For those who aren’t familiar with the movie, in Red One, Santa has been kidnapped and it’s up to his assistant, played by The Rock, to rescue him. For this task, authorities also recruit a “level four naughty lister” played by Chris Evans to help. Yeah, the premise is as ridiculous as it sounds, but every year there’s always that one holiday action movie, and this year Red One has taken that title.

If you’re interested in seeing the movie either for the bizarre plot or for Evans and The Rock’s apparently likeable chemistry as early reactions suggest, then you should head out to theaters starting Nov. 15, 2024. Heck, bring along a Santa hat and any “level four naughty listers” in your life.

If the Avengers are good at anything besides saving the world, it’s assembling, and seven of them have done just that in of presidential hopeful Kamala Harris. 

In a new video shared to X by Mark Ruffalo, the Incredible Hulk himself leads a group of fellow Marvel stars including Scarlett Johansson (who plays Black Widow), Don Cheadle (who plays War Machine), Chris Evans (who plays Captain America) and Robert Downey Jr. (who plays Iron Man). 

While that list alone is enough to make Thanos (and Harris’ opponent, Donald Trump) shudder, the starry group is rounded out by fellow Marvel icons in the form of Black Panther’s Danai Jekesai Gurira and WandaVison’s Paul Bettany. Using their star power for good, the actors assembled to encourage people to vote ahead of the presidential election, with Ruffalo declaring the in caption that “in the #ElectionEndgame, every early vote counts.”

In a follow-up message, the actor urged voters not “to sit this one out,” and stressed the importance of key election issues like women’s reproductive rights, climate change [and] LGBTQIA+ rights. “This shit is real and it’s going to come for you,” Ruffalo wrote, while encouraging fans to bring their friends to voting booths. 

Meanwhile, in the video, the Marvel stars engage in a brainstorming session around how to encourage people to vote, with Downey suggesting that the Harris campaign “needs a catchphrase.” Nothing quite says you’re Iron Man like the undying need for a slogan, so the group toss out a few ideas based on their respective Marvel roles. For his part, Evans plagiarises Captain America’s best-known quote “I can do this all day,” which prompts Downey to swiftly tell him to “shut up.”

Cheadle, meanwhile, suggests that Harris adopt the Age of Ultron quote “boom! You looking for this?,” before Gurira puts her hands across her chest and chants “Kamala forever.” As they begin to descend into a hilarious spiral of quotes, Ruffalo tries to intervene to put the group back on focus, with Bettany suggesting a catchphrase that seems to stick. “I’m down with democracy,” he says to much approval from the group. 

Just when it appears the stars have landed on a Harris slogan, they twist its meaning into the exact opposite of what they were going for. “I’m Kamala Harris, and I say, down with democracy,” Cheadle says, prompting confusion from Ruffalo. At Johansson’s request, superhero-like sound production starts playing as the entire group butchers the slogan repeatedly. 

“Together we’re gonna tear down democracy,” Cheadle says, concluding a campaign session that would probably give the real Harris a headache. The seven Avengers a long list of celebrities who’ve thrown their behind the Democratic candidate, with Beyoncé, Olivia Rodrigo, Mark Hamill and Barbra Striesand each rallying for Harris in the lead up to election day. 

For his part, Ruffalo has been vocal about his opposition to Trump in recent weeks, describing the former president as a “silly old man” and criticizing his penchant for “whining.” If the Hulk said that to me, I’d drop out of the race and find comfort in too many servings of McDonald’s. That could also be in Trump’s future, but not before he says he says “down with democracy!”. That, my friends, is an Avengers-level threat.     

Ah, the paycheck movie – a true Hollywood tradition. These movies, where the actor obviously took them because they were remodeling their kitchen or something, crop up from time to time and then gloriously bomb. From what we’re hearing, it looks like Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans have one for the ages coming out this Christmas, called Red One. At least they’re keeping a tradition going.

Matt Belloni, the former editor of The Hollywood Reporter and co-founder of Puck News, gave us an early Christmas present. It turns out Red One, which had a budget of around $253 million, is tracking to pull in around $36 million. Woof. How? You might be asking. Is it really that bad?

Honestly, we had the same response, at first. Things change when you watch the trailers. They just.. change. You know how there are things in life you can’t unsee? Things that stick with you like lint? This is one of those things.

The premise of this movie is that Santa Claus, who is incredibly buff for a reason no one understands, has been kidnapped. Johnson is his assistant, but North Pole authorities have called in Chris Evans, who’s a “level four naughty lister.” That’s a real quote from the movie.

After watching the trailer, $36 million seems high. How did a Christmas movie end up with this budget? There’s some fun backstory behind that, which we’ll get into that in a second.

We should point out first that Johnson is no stranger to bombing. This is the same man who thought Black Adam was going to be the new top superhero after all. That movie cost somewhere around $200 million. It needed to make around $600 million to be profitable. It made much, much less than that.

Last year around Christmas, Deadline wrote a story that Red One was testing through the roof. That smelled funny, and some posited that Amazon MGM was trying to get in front of stories that would say the opposite. Sure enough, that’s exactly what started to happen. Even better, the movie’s budget reportedly got out of control partly because Johnson seems to think the world revolves around him.

Back in April, The Wrap published a piece called “‘Red One’ Down: How Dwayne Johnson’s Tardiness Led to a $250 Million Runaway Production.” Good title, no? Turns out, Johnson would stroll into work late all the time, with the average being around somewhere in the 8-hour range. Other days he would simply not show up.

These selfish actions by the world’s biggest ego cost the production around $50 million. “Dwayne truly doesn’t give a f**k,” a source said.

The movie’s been described as an “unmitigated disaster” and “ChatGPT’s idea of what a commercial, four-quadrant film should be.” Wait just a second. You mean a Santa Claus action movie isn’t a good idea? Who would’ve thought?

But what are the people saying? That’s what matters, right? “Shocked it’s that high. It looks absolutely terrible,” one X said about the budget. Someone else asked “how the hell” a Christmas movie has a “bigger budget than all four of the first Transformers movies??” Yes, it’s probably going to bomb. That doesn’t mean it won’t be fun to watch, though. It’s hard not to watch a train wreck.