Lightyear star and Marvel Cinematic Universe icon Chris Evans reveals why he would rather reprise his first superhero role rather than his most iconic one.
During an interview with MTV News, Evans was asked about returning to the role of Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch. Evans replied, "Wouldn't that be great?" He continued, "No one's ever come to me about that. I mean, I don't exactly look the same anymore. That was 15, almost 20 years ago... But I really love that character."
Evans portrayed Johnny Storm in 2005's Fantastic Four directed by Tim Story. The film was widely panned by critics and audiences despite earning over $333 million at the box office. Evans reprised the role for the 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Although the second film was better received, its lower box office return and still relatively lackluster response from audiences marked the end of the duology. Evans' next superhero role would come with his debut as Steve Rogers aka Captain America in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, a role which he would return for over a half-dozen times.
When reminded that he could return as the Human Torch by way of the Multiverse, Evans responded, "That's true. I mean, I guess all bets are off. I would love it, I would love it. That would actually be an easier sell to me than coming back as Cap. You know what I mean?" He continued, "Cap is so precious to me. And, you know, I almost don't want to disrupt what a beautiful experience that was. But Johnny Storm, I feel like he didn't really get his day. That was before Marvel really found its footing."
Evans is currently starring in Lightyear, a spinoff of the Toy Story franchise which follows the "real" fictional adventures of its titular hero made famous by Tim Allen in his first appearance as Buzz Lightyear in 1995. Evans has previously discussed the impact of taking on such an important legacy, saying "As proud as I am to play this role and as honored as I am to be a part of this universe now, that line belongs to someone else. It almost kind of felt like I was wearing someone else's clothes or something, you know? So you do your best to honor it and put your own spin on it." With regard to Buzz Lightyear's famous motto "To Infinity, and Beyond!," Evans clarified, "But let's be honest, that's Tim Allen's line."
Producer Galyn Susman explained the decision to cast Evans in Lightyear's lead role, saying that "Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear the toy, and he's the embodiment of Buzz Lightyear the toy. We weren't making a Toy Story movie. We're making Buzz Lightyear's movie, the Lightyear movie." She continued, "First and foremost, we just needed to have a different person playing that Lightyear, separate from the toy. Then, you know, you're looking at taking a side character and making them the protagonist of his own movie. So you need somebody who's going to be very well-rounded. You need somebody who can do drama and comedy, comedy that doesn't undercut the stakes of the character. You need somebody who can express pathos and have genuine concern for their own safety and experiencing conflict and guilt."
Lightyear is playing in theaters now.
Source: YouTube