Chris Evans Hints Robert Downey Jr. May 'Walk Away' From Marvel

All good things must eventually come to an end, and for the current round of heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that statement seems to be holding up. According to Captain America actor Chris Evans, another franchise favorite could bow out soon.

Speaking with USA Today, Evans dished on Marvel's uncertain film future, the possibility of recasting iconic characters, and what's next on his plate in the acting world. Evans' contract with the entertainment giant reportedly ends after he fulfills his commitment to the next two Avengers films, and he was candid in mentioning how his goodbye would be a difficult one.

"I'd be lying if I said it wouldn't be hard for me," Evans explained. "But the passing of time and the passing of torches is part of the experience. Nothing lasts forever. There's a beauty in that departure, even if it can be sad at times. It's also joyful. I've had a great run. Superheroes are reinventable entities, like Batman or even James Bond. These movies find new incarnations and new ways to tell the story. I am all for it. However, if they want to proceed after Avengers 4, it's really up to them. I walk away with no regrets and endlessly thankful."

But what has fans in a tizzy is one particular suggestion Evans made: Robert Downey Jr. may be departing from Marvel sooner than expected, even before Evans himself calls it quits. "Downey is far closer to reaching that point where he may walk away," Evans said. "And I don't know how you replace Downey as Tony Stark. I don't know who else can touch that."

Downey's contract is quite different from Evans', crafted on a movie-by-movie basis as opposed to a commitment to a certain number of years or film installments ahead of time. Because of this, many believe that Evans could be telling the truth regarding Downey's eventual exit. While it would certainly be hard to let the Iron Man actor go, perhaps a later iteration of the billionaire philanthropist could be a worthy follow-up. As Evans said, there are plenty of ways to tell a superhero tale.

We'll likely have some waiting to do before we hear additional details on how long Downey will stick around. What we do know, however, is that he'll definitely be in Avengers: Infinity War, set to hit theaters on May 4, 2018. In the meantime, check out some of the hidden details in the Iron Man movies.