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Chris Evans had every reason not to play Captain America. The actor had already done the Marvel superhero thing as The Human Torch in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies. And he definitely wasn’t looking for a long-term contract. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe came calling anyway.

Over the course of nine years in the role, Evans headlined a Captain America trilogy and four Avengers movies. Yet, some fans have had some troubling letting go. The MCU, after all, has at least one untold story for Evans’ Cap. And one fan took it upon himself to imagine what Captain America 4 might look like.

Cosplayer Griffin Reina as Captain America at San Diego Comic-Con
Cosplayer Griffin Reina as Captain America at San Diego Comic-Con | Daniel Knighton/Getty Images

Fans thought ‘Avengers: Endgame’ was the end for Captain America

The way Avengers: Endgame left good ol’ Steve Rogers seems pretty definitive. After embarking on their successful “time heist” and defeating Thanos, the original six Avengers are essentially off the board. As for Cap, he seizes the opportunity to reconnect with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) in the past. Fans are still divided over the ramifications of that decision.

Some believe a second Steve Rogers has co-existed in the main continuity this whole time. Meanwhile, others argue Cap simply created an alternate timeline when he stayed back in the 1940s to get that long-awaited dance. Whatever the case may be, there’s a small but enticing pocket of storytelling hidden away in Avengers: Endgame.

A new fan-made poster hypes up what ‘Captain America 4’ could be

In the closing minutes of Avengers: Endgame, Cap travels back through time to return the Infinity Stones. Armed with Mjölnir, he embarks on a quest to retrace the Avengers’ steps. This will inevitably lead him to confront Red Skull (Ross Marquand) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Each villain plays a critical role in the fate of one of the stones.

So a digital artist with the Instagram username “ApexForm” created a poster that would hopefully capture Cap’s epic final mission. Titled Captain America: Infinity, the proposed film would — according to the fan-made poster — feature Red Skull, Loki, Peggy, and Tilda Swinton’s The Ancient One.

Perhaps most tantalizing of all, the main villain of the piece looks to be an alternate version of Cap himself. In Avengers: Endgame, the hero memorably faces off against his past self and uses the Mind Stone to subdue him. As a result, Cap might wind up going toe to toe with this now-brainwashed version of himself once more.

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But will the MCU really give Cap an ‘interquel’ a la ‘Black Widow’?

Of course, as far as MCU fans know, there’s no indication of a Captain America 4 in the works. Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo have teased Cap’s Infinity Stones mission could be covered elsewhere. But given the hubbub surrounding Evans’ exit, this doesn’t seem like the story that would bring him back into the fold.

The MCU has definitely been experimenting with “interquels,” however. Rather than a prequel or a sequel, these stories fill in gaps between other movies. Black Widow, for instance, follows Scarlett Johansson’s character after Captain America: Civil War but before Avengers: Infinity War.

While Evans’ big-screen return to the MCU could always happen eventually, he’s probably done with the franchise for now. So Captain America 4 likely won’t come together. But a Cap cameo in the upcoming Loki Disney+ show? Given the god of mischief’s escape in Avengers: Endgame — with an Infinity Stone, no less — this feels like the perfect opportunity to tie off Cap’s arc.

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