While the original six stars of Marvel’s Phase 1 era are said to be the focus of Avengers: Endgame, the film’s various trailers and TV spots suggest that Captain America in particular will be right at the forefront of the action.
Indeed, it’s only fitting that co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo are keen to put the spotlight on Steve Rogers, seeing how the pair’s run in the MCU has been inextricably tied with Cap’s. Though Steve made his Marvel universe debut with 2011’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Russo Brothers soon took the reins for his second solo outing, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and have since reunited with actor Chris Evans for Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.
Now, it’s looking very likely that Cap’s decades-spanning journey is nearing its end. And in an interview with Fandango, Anthony Russo suggested that he and his brother intend to finish the arc they started with Winter Soldier:
“I think our great discovery with that character was how much inner dimension that character ultimately has. And I think that’s the journey that we went on with Chris Evans as our partner, and the writers, Chris Markus and Stephen McFeely as partners in terms of how we begin exploring Captain America starting with Winter Soldier. It was really important to us to find a way to involve them past that golden age character that First Avenger was very much about.”
When Cap began his run in the MCU, there were some concerns that he was too much of a straight-laced goody-goody to make for a compelling character. For many filmgoers, Winter Soldier was the movie that first demonstrated how Steve could maintain his principled nature without coming across as bland. And according to Russo, this month’s release will continue to explore the more nuanced and relatable sides of the character:
“We wanted to challenge that character in ways where we could really see his cracks and really find his vulnerability. And while, certainly, his superpowers, his moral fortitude and his ability to be very simple to his principles, dedicated to his principles, we wanted to find a way to get past that with the character [and] take that character into areas where he can’t find easy answers. So I think that was really what it was — the degree to which we could continue to explore this character’s very complex humanity and vulnerability, relatability to all of us. And I think that’s a great joy, and I think you will see that very, very much in Endgame as well.”
We’re just a few weeks away from finding out what the Russo Brothers have in mind for Cap, but right now, a lot of fans seem pretty worried about The First Avenger’s impending fate. Regardless of what the future holds for Steve, you can see him at least one more time when Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26th.
