"I thought Captain America was on the moon": Fans speculate the return of Chris Evans' Steve Rogers in Captain America 4

The power-packed ending of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier finale gloriously cemented Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as the definitive new-age Captain America.

Simultaneously, it also posed several burning questions, one of which has sparked the curiosity of millions across the globe: Where exactly is Chris Evans' Steve Rogers?

One particular statement uttered by a member of the Global Repatriation Council in the Falcon and the Winter Soldier finale has piqued the interest of the Marvel fandom.

Upon seeing Sam Wilson as Captain America, he nonchalantly remarks:

"I thought Captain America was on the moon."

Evan' was last seen in his "Old Man Steve" avatar in Avengers: Endgame, where he officially handed over the mantle of Captain America to his close friend Sam Wilson.

Since then, the future of his MCU career has been up in the air, with the online rumor mill running wild.

Also, with Marvel officially announcing "Captain America 4" recently, fans seem to be having a meltdown at the prospect of Chris Evans reprising his role as the titular character once again.

The aforementioned statement has since created a lot of buzz surrounding Steve Rogers' whereabouts. Scores of fans have taken to Twitter to respond via a slew of memes and speculative posts.

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"On the Moon" remark sparks a meme fest as fans ponder Steve Rogers' whereabouts in Captain America 4

Captain America 4 will be overseen by Malcolm Spellman, the head writer, and creator of Disney's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, Spellman will co-write the film along with Dalon Musson, a staff writer on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

While the cast of the film is yet to be finalized, it remains to be seen who carries forward the legacy of Captain America.

If The Falcon and the Winter Soldier finale was anything to go by, Sam Wilson seems to be the best bet to carry forward the legacy of the shield in Captain America 4.

Back in January, a Deadline report dropped a bombshell after it hinted at a possible MCU return for Chris Evans in a similar vein to what Robert Downey Jr. did in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

With rampant rumors of Chris Evans' pending return to the MCU running wild online, the uncertainty surrounding his potential involvement has only intensified with each passing day.

If Chris Evans was indeed set to return as Steve Rogers, Deadline also claims that it would reportedly be in a project separate from that of Captain America 4.

If that is going to be the case, then it leaves the door wide open for a whole range of exciting new possibilities:

Could fans witness Chris Evans return as "Evil Captain America," where he plays an undercover HYDRA agent in an exclusive "Secret Empire" comic storyline adaptation?

Perhaps he could return in some form in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness?

Or could he actually be on the moon, assisting Nick Fury on a secret base/spaceship off-planet?

Steve Rogers as an undercover HYDRA agent in "Secret Empire" (Image via Marvel)

Despite Marvel President Kevin Feige and Chris Evans denying the possibility of a Steve Rogers return, fans continue to enthusiastically speculate on the possibility online:

With Evans' symbolic passing of the torch in Avengers: Endgame serving as a perfect send-off to the Steve Rogers character arc, many believe it is highly unlikely that he will return. It is time for Sam Wilson to shine now.

But when it comes to the ever-expensive MCU world of multiverses and diverging timelines, anything is possible.