Everything we’ve heard about Avengers 4 strongly suggests that there’s going to be a stars and stripes patterned vacancy within the Marvel Cinematic Universe very soon. With Chris Evans having apparently said goodbye to the role, speculation’s quickly mounting about who might be stepping into the shoes of Captain America after Steve Rogers departs.
A few weeks back, rumors surfaced which said that the studio was looking at either an African American actor or even an actress to take up the mantle next, but with Marvel keeping quiet on what they’re planning, numerous people have been throwing their name into the ring and the latest to do so is John Cena. Or at least, it appears that way.
This weekend, the wrestler/actor posted a cryptic photo of Captain America’s shield on his Instagram account. With no caption to accompany it, it’s unclear what exactly he’s trying to say, but many fans believe it’s his subtle way of hinting that he’s interested in being the MCU’s next Cap.
Though Kevin Feige and co. haven’t even given us any official confirmation yet on whether Steve Rogers will have a continuing presence in the franchise beyond this next film, Chris Evans certainly seemed to suggest that he’ll be departing when he tweeted a heartfelt message last month reflecting on his time in the role. And while the actor has since gone on record to say that his message contains no spoilers and that he was just feeling a bit sentimental, many fans continue to mourn the hero’s exit in advance.
As for Cena, we highly doubt that Marvel will go with him as the person to take up the mantle next, but we’ll surely get more answers about what fate has in store for Cap when Avengers 4 storms into theaters on May 3rd, 2019.