Hayley Atwell and Chris Evans almost returned as Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers in their own movie, but instead they'll reunite in Avengers: Doomsday

Hot on the heels of Chris Evans reportedly making a deal to return in Avengers: Doomsday, it looks like Hayley Atwell will be joining him as Agent Peggy Carter, according to Deadline. And yes, this does mean that it's likely that Chris Evans will be playing Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, after all.

In fact, Deadline reports that the pair were initially in talks to return in their own co-starring movie, presumably picking up in the years after Steve returned to the past and married Peggy at the end of Avengers: Endgame. However, a story for the film couldn't be settled on, so the pair's reunion and return as Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter has apparently been shifted over to Avengers: Doomsday, which will feature former Iron Man actor Robert Downey, Jr. recast into the new role of the villainous Doctor Doom.

It's all part of a big Avengers: Endgame reunion, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo also returning to helm Avengers: Doomsday and its planned sequel Avengers: Secret Wars.

Atwell was last seen as Peggy Carter in 2022's Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness as an alternate reality version of the character known as Captain Carter, who received the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers in her timeline. Could the mainstream MCU Peggy Carter now become Captain Carter as well, as part of Avengers: Doomsday?

I've had some fun speculating on the possibility of Chris Evans returning in a new role as a villain, much like Downey. But with Evans and Atwell reportedly returning specifically as Steve Rogers and Agent Peggy Carter, I'm guessing that fantasy may be put to bed. But there's still some unexpected potential for what the story could hold, especially if a version of Captain Carter winds up in the mix.

It's definitely interesting to see Evans potentially returning as Captain America, with the reports coming just months ahead of Anthony Mackie's return as the new Captain America, Sam Wilson, in his own first solo film Captain America: Brave New World. The question is, will Evans' return dampen the potential excitement over Sam Wilson's big solo movie debut? Or Will it heighten anticipation of the inevitable Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson Captain America team-up in Avengers: Doomsday?

For now, we'll have to wait and see, as Avengers: Doomsday isn't scheduled to release until 2026. In the meantime, Captain America: Brave New World is due out in theaters February 14.

Looking to get caught up? Don't miss our comprehensive guide to the Marvel timeline as well as our guide on how to watch the MCU movies in order.