We all had the same reaction as Anya Taylor-Joy when an interviewer at TIFF seemed to suggest that Chris Evans was a “failed actor.” He was promoting his latest film, Sacrifice, where he portrayed the character of a struggling actor. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, more attention went to the now-viral video from the festival.
During the Q&A session, one reporter asked him whether he had “any concerns” playing the part that hit “potentially a bit closer to home.” The question certainly surprised the audience, and his co-star Taylor-Joy only had an awkward smile as she waited for Evans’ response. The reporter seemed to backtrack a bit as she apologized and asked, “Where there any concerns about it shaking the fictional world of the film?”
anya's face when they asked chris if he was worried about playing a failed movie star cause it was hitting close to home im crying😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/H3J4gaCsXH
— ً (@bloodanya) September 7, 2025
Some fans quickly came to support the actor, while others pointed out that Evans’ career fell off the wagon after his Marvel role as Captain America. Steve Rogers makes a personal choice for himself at the end of Avengers: Endgame, but Evans has yet to make the right choice for himself, particularly in selecting good roles.
Evans’ post-MCU box office only has one hit, Knives Out, where he played the villain Hugh “Ransom” Drysdale (not including the Deadpool & Wolverine cameo). He mostly chose direct-to-home releases after Endgame, most of which were not critics’ favorites.
Evans starred in four direct-to-home releases, including The Red Sea Diving Resort, The Gray Man, Ghosted, and Pain Hustlers. Lightyear, the animated film that saw him play the titular role, was a box office bomb. Last year, he starred in Red One, which was also a major disaster.
However, it doesn’t mean that Evans is an unsuccessful actor by any means. Evans did tap into the performer in him for the 2020 AppleTV+ series, Defending Jacob
These roles after his fourth Avengers movie prove that he has what it takes to continue as an A-lister in the industry.
1. Knives Out (2019)
Rian Johnson‘s Knives Out came merely months after Avengers: Endgame, and Chris Evans was seen with an entirely different set of ensemble cast in this film. It was refreshing for audiences to see him take on a negative role after playing the goody-two-shoes Steve Rogers in the MCU. Evans’ Ransom was able to easily fool you briefly in the film before showing his true colors.
Appearing alongside Evans in the film were Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas, who delivered great performances. Johnson was able to revitalize the whodunnit subgenre of thriller films, as the film received unanimous praise from critics and the audience. The film grossed $312 million at the box office and received nominations for three Golden Globes, a BAFTA, and an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
| Knives Out (2019) | Details |
| Director | Rian Johnson |
| Production Company | MRC, T-Street Productions, Ram Bergman Productions |
| Box Office | $312,897,920 |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 97% |
| IMDb Rating | 7.9 |
Evans made a trend out of the cable-knit sweaters that he was seen wearing in the film. He revealed to PEOPLE that he took home all of these sweaters from the film. He even had a tiny version of the sweater done for his dog, Dodger, which he posted on X after the film’s release.
Knives Out is now available for streaming on Prime Video.
2. The Gray Man (2022)
Critics weren’t too happy with The Gray Man when it hit Netflix in 2022. The film brought together the dream team of the Russo brothers and Chris Evans, whose three out of four previous collaborations were billion-dollar hits. As opposed to their MCU collaborations, the Russos cast Evans as a sociopathic villain.
He played ex-CIA agent and mercenary Lloyd Hansen, who had the mission to hunt down CIA agent Sierra Six, played by Ryan Gosling. It also had a production budget close to $200 million, making it one of Netflix’s most expensive films at the time. Critics bashed the clichéd story and the poor pacing of the screenplay.
| The Gray Man (2022) | Details |
| Director | Anthony Russo & Joe Russo |
| Production Company | AGBO, Roth/Kirschenbaum Films |
| Box Office | $454,023 |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 45% |
| IMDb Rating | 6.5 |
However, they showered praises on the ensemble cast of the film, who delivered immensely on the roles they had in the film. Evans was both hilarious and terrifying as the mustached villain, something we don’t often see him in. According to IndieWire, the film was the streamer’s fifth-best movie debut, with 88.55 million hours of views in its initial three days.
It appears that critical opinion didn’t stop viewers from streaming this generic action flick. As opposed to the 45% rotten Tomatometer score, the film has a 90% approval rating among audiences. We are definitely getting a Gray Man franchise, but unfortunately, Evans only had a one-time appearance.
The Gray Man is now available for streaming on Netflix.
3. Materialists (2025)
Quite a few fans of Chris Evans would argue that he delivered his best performance in Celine Song’s Materialists. He shed his superhero image for a much more raw and soulful performance in this romantic film. He plays the ex-boyfriend of the razor-sharp matchmaker Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson. He is a struggling theater actor who does catering for weddings in the film.
The film received a bit of backlash for romanticizing poverty through Evans’ character. However, he never let it become a big issue in the film. Evans delivers a nuanced take that keeps the balance between the romance and the melodrama in the film. He also has impeccable chemistry with his co-star Johnson, perhaps more than Pedro Pascal in the film.
| Materialists (2025) | Details |
| Director | Celine Song |
| Production Company | 2AM, Killer Films |
| Box Office | $97,703,614 |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 79% |
| IMDb Rating | 6.4 |
Before Materialists, Song caught the attention of movie-goers with her 2023 film, Past Lives. Her film received generally positive reviews, with a fresh 79% RT score. It grossed $97.7 million against a mere $20 million budget. While A24 distributed the film in the U.S., Deadline reported that Sony Pictures acquired the international distribution rights in an eight-figure deal.
Materialists is now available for rent on Apple TV and Amazon.
What do you think of Chris Evans’ career and movies post-Endgame? Let us know in the comments below!
