Chris Evans has teased that Avengers: Doomsday will bring a "brutal" storyline for Steve Rogers, marking the actor's first appearance as the character in eight years. Speaking at Boston Fan Expo, Evans said directors Anthony and Joe Russo enjoy putting Rogers through hardship, describing the upcoming film as a particularly harsh test of the character that offers a fresh examination of his values, though he gave no concrete plot details.

The comments have fuelled fan speculation that Rogers' storyline may take a dark turn involving his child, since he was revealed as a father after his earlier happy ending with Peggy Carter. Doctor Doom has previously shown interest in superheroes' children, having been seen holding baby Franklin Richards in a Fantastic Four post-credits scene, though it remains unclear whether anything similarly ominous awaits Rogers' offspring. Evans reportedly turned down around a dozen other Marvel project pitches before agreeing to return for Doomsday, which is set for release on 18 December.