For the past several years, Chris Evans has been hinting -- and at times, even outright declaring -- that he will likely hang up his Captain America shield after his Marvel contract expires. Now, with the release of the second-to-last "Avengers" flick looming, Evans is once again saying that his days in the MCU are numbered.

In an interview with the New York Times, the actor chatted about his upcoming Broadway debut in a new play from "Manchester by the Sea" writer-director Kenneth Lonergan. The role -- of a narcissistic cop -- is a bit of a departure for Evans, the chiseled face of the moral Captain for the better part of a decade, and as the actor explained it, it was time to try something different.

Here's the relevant passage from the Times:

Last year, he filmed back-to-back the final two Marvel movies for which he is under contract — "Avengers: Infinity War," due in April, and a sequel planned for next year. For now, he has no plans to return to the franchise ("You want to get off the train before they push you off," he said), and expects that planned reshoots in the fall will mark the end of his tenure in the familiar red, white and blue super suit.

Based on Marvel fans' love of Evans as Cap, it seems silly that anyone would want to push him off the MCU platform. But Evans has expressed a restlessness in his Marvel role for years, so it makes sense that the end of this "Avengers" chapter would also be the end of his part in it.

Plus, "Infinity War" and "Avengers 4" certainly have a finality about them, with other actors also teasing that this will be their final rodeo, too. And fans can't help but read into every comment that every cast member makes, wondering if they'll survive the upcoming "War."

Audiences will find out soon enough: "Avengers: Infinity War" is slated to hit theaters on April 27, and "Avengers 4" will debut on May 3, 2019.

[via: The New York Times]