The Russo brothers, the directing duo behind Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame and its upcoming sequel Avengers: Doomsday, have revealed that they had long entertained the idea of depicting Steve Rogers’ post-finale journey to return the Infinity Stones to their original places across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a recent conversation with CBR, Joe and Anthony Russo opened up about the discarded narrative option, explaining that while the concept lingered in their minds for years, they ultimately decided against it because it proved too sprawling to fit within a single film.
Rogers agrees to return the Infinity Stones to their proper places across the timeline in the finale of Avengers: Endgame, before choosing to settle back in time to live out a quiet life with Peggy Carter. That hard-won peace, however, is now set to be disrupted. As Avengers: Doomsday has confirmed, the retired Avenger’s second act will be thrown into turmoil, pulling Evans back into the fold for yet another chapter.
While that journey has never been shown on screen, fans have long campaigned for a Disney+ series following Chris Evans as he travels across the Marvel timeline, dropping off the various stones where the Avengers originally found them. The premise offers fertile ground for exploration, with Evans potentially reuniting with younger versions of his former teammates as well as old foes. Viewers might imagine Rogers bidding a final farewell to Black Widow before her later death, or clashing once again with Red Skull along the way.
A Discarded Idea That Lingered
The Russos clearly shared that instinct. Speaking to CBR, Joe Russo said that he and his brother had “did have that conversation” about depicting Rogers’ journey, before noting it would have been too difficult to convey within a single film, even as a montage.
“I think we toyed around with an idea of like, ‘Is there a montage where he puts the stones back?’ We felt like it just played past the ending. We were like, ‘It seems like much more complicated than a montage could sustain.’ And so we didn’t do it.”
Joe Russo
“We did circle it for a long time, that idea,” Anthony Russo added, before seemingly discounting the notion of a Disney+ series. “I think that’s a great idea,” he continued. “How about a movie?”
An Idea That May Never Materialize
This exchange is notable because it dovetails with comments Evans himself has made in the past. The actor revealed that he received numerous pitches to return to the MCU, ultimately declining them because he was waiting for an idea big enough to justify his comeback.
While Marvel rarely discusses its discarded project ideas, it is not difficult to imagine a film tracing Steve’s journey being pitched to Evans at some point. At present, though, there is no sign that this is a journey fans will ever get to see played out on screen. The Russos remain sufficiently occupied with tinkering on Avengers: Doomsday, and are already entering pre-production on Avengers: Secret Wars.
Looking Ahead
As for Doomsday, it is known that the film will pick up Steve’s story after his Infinity Stone mission, with his life with Peggy Carter disturbed by a visit from Loki. This is a moment that viewers have now seen play out in the extended version of Avengers: Endgame now playing in theaters. Exactly what happens next, however, will require a few more months of patience, when Avengers: Doomsday arrives December 18.
This story was originally reported by Tom Phillips, IGN’s News Editor. You can reach him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social.</
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