If any actor is the go-to for a superhero adaptation, it’sChris Evans. This is true both in terms of his talent, his likable presence, and what’s apparently Hollywood’s perception. The latter must be true, because he has been cast in an absolute litany of superhero films, and they’re not even all part of the MCU.
He’s even starred in a superhero movie thatwasn’tbased on an existing IP. But, these are the movies thatwerebased on an existing IP. In other words, no original superhero movies likePush(2009) here, even if that did end up getting a comic prequel.
17Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor: The Dark Worldis widely consideredthe MCU’s weakest movie, and that’s a fair assessment, but Evans' cameo is still a winner. Essentially, Loki uses magic to transform his visage into that of Captain America, who proceeds to poke fun at his fellow Avenger.
Of course, Loki is no Avenger. Instead, he’s a sociopath with the ability to contort reality, and the Cap cameo is just a tactic to do so. Evans sells the cameo well by nailing Tom Hiddleston’s cadence and smarmy charm.
16TMNT (2007)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have actually found quite a bit of success. The first three ’90s movies found varying levels of faint praise and box office receipts, while the latter Michael Bay-produced movies started strong before flopping withTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
In between those two film series was the animated attempted rebootTMNT, which sadly failed to find much of an audience. Evans played the iconic role of ice hockey-playing crime-fighter wannabe Casey Jones, and with his voice alone he exceeds the range shown by Stephen Amell inOut of the Shadows(though that’s at least partially the script’s fault).
RELATED:Every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV Show, Ranked
15Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Tim Story’s secondFantastic Fourfilm,Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, ended up being his last. It’s rare for a major franchise to stop short at two installments, but a sequel’s lower box office haul than its predecessor will do it. As will a lackluster trailer that doesn’t make the movie look any better than the poorly-received installment that preceded it.
Box Office Mojoreports that even with a bizarrely tame (but extra accessible) PG rating,Silver Surfergrossed just under $132 million domestically, and another $170 million overseas. On a budget of $130 million, this isn’t the end of the world, but when it’s following a $100 million movie that scored nearly $155 million domestically and $179 overseas, it’s a downward trajectory, and a downward trajectory isn’t often going to get a film series a third installment. But at least it wasn’t met with the reception bestowed Josh Trank’s disastrous 2015 attempted reboot, which scored only $56 million domestically and $111 internationally on a $120 million budget.
14Fantastic Four (2005)
Now that comic book fans have a seemingly infinite number of solid options to pick from, there’s something increasingly charming about the early failures. Now, Tim Story’s firstFantastic Fourfilm wasn’t a financial failure, but it was a mostly hollow and too-goofy adventure with some cases of bad casting.
Evans wasn’t one of them. Instead, his Johnny Storm is one of the movie’s highlights (alongside Michael Chiklis' Ben Grimm/The Thing). It’s obvious Evans is having fun, which is thebest thing that could be said aboutFantastic Four, but at least it would be said sincerely.
13Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvelwasn’t the first time Evans stepped into an MCU movie for a cameo, but it is the least interesting of those cameos. Specifically, he features in a mid-credits sequence (directed by the Russos) that leads directly intoAvengers: Endgame.
The scene features Captain America and Black Widow, in 2018, looking down at the finally-activated pager for Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel. Then, the real deal shows up, and that’s basically it, time for theEndgame.
12Ant-Man (2015)
2015’sAnt-Manwas the first case of Evans coming in just for a credits sequence that sets up something forthcoming. In the case of the button for Peyton Reed’s film, it’s a stage-setter for the following year’sCaptain America: Civil War.
The post-credits scene in question features Cap and Falcon looking over the Winter Soldier, whose metallic arm is securely trapped in a clamp. Since “the accords” have come into effect, Iron Man’s off limits, but Falcon recently encountered a certain tiny fella who might be of use.
11Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
The same year he was putting in a cameo appearance forAnt-Man, Chris Evans' Captain America was leading the charge against evil AI inAvengers: Age of Ultron. Joss Whedon’s follow-up to his own 2012 smash hit is far inferior to what came before, butAge of Ultronstill stands asthe most over-hated MCU project.
The film’s much-debated Sokovia-based finale is where Cap gets his best moments (most of the best scenes in the first two-thirds belong to Tony Stark). Again, its Evans' ability to properly convey Cap’s leadership that makes it believable that every Avenger, including the two new ones, would actually do what he says. This is especially crucial inAge of Ultron, because the whole floating city thing makes it harder to keep track of everyone’s movements and current specific goals than, say, New York.
10The Losers (2010)
The Loserswas a star-studded movie that came and went from theaters in 2010 with barely a word said about it. That’s unfortunate because while it isn’t exactly high art, it’s a good bit of fun, and it’s obvious from the jump that Evans is having a blast in his jokey role.
It’s the type of movie that hinges on the writing of a group dynamic. And, in this regard,The Losersexcels (even if some of the traded barbs read as amateurish). Furthermore, just about everyone is perfectly cast, from Evans to Zoe Saldana, Idris Elba, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, there are few false notes, even if Jason Patric could have been reigned in a tad.
9Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Evans isn’t in much ofSpider-Man: Homecomingand his appearance is fairly unconventional, but it’s hilarious nonetheless (similar to Evans' Cap-referencing cameo inFree Guy). Specifically, Captain America appears in several PSAs geared towards keeping young people safe. Who better to represent that goal?
Much aboutSpider-Man: Homecomingworks, from thememorable antagonist in Vultureto the smaller moments between Peter and MJ. But what makes it and the other Jon Watts’Spider-Manfilms function so well is a light tone, and Evans has no issue poking fun at his and Cap’s own star-spangled image.
8Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil Warwas and remains one of the MCU’s most successful and most important installments. But, it can also feel like an overstuffed placeholder in anticipation of Thanos.
But at least it’s a slight change of pace, and the film even features one of the cinematic universe’s most sympathetic villains in Baron Helmut Zemo. It’s also the most Cap gets to grow over the course of one movie, going from confident to regretful to nearly bitter to remorseful over a lost friendship. It’s good stuff, and Evans makes Cap the heart of his own film. Which, in the case of the crowdedCaptain America: Civil War(AKAAvengers 2.5) is crucial.
