Chris Evans’ Deadpool & Wolverine cameo: Johnny Storm’s return explained

Chris Evans always told us he “could do this all day”, so it’s unsurprising he’s been one of the longest-predicted cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, there’s a brilliant twist.

Ever since Deadpool & Wolverine‘s behind-the-scenes photos revealed a half-buried 20th Century Fox logo, speculation has been rife about who could appear from the studio’s back catalog of heroes and villains.

Marvel even planted fake leaks, trying to counteract leaks and throw people off the scent of the big Deadpool 3 cameos to come.

Perhaps more than anyone else, fans have predicted they’d see Chris Evans again. Well, they’re in for a treat with the new movie.

Chris Evans’ role in Deadpool & Wolverine explained

Chris Evans returns to the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine… as Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four.

Evans gained worldwide recognition as Captain America, the “First Avenger” who passed on his shield in Avengers: Endgame.

However, Johnny Storm was his first superhero role, having starred in 2004’s Fantastic Four and its sequel, 2007’s Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Deadpool and Wolverine meet him shortly after they’re dropped into the Void. A mysterious hooded figure jumps off some scaffolding (and makes a “superhero landing”), before revealing his face.

Deadpool is excited… initially, because he thinks it’s Captain America. But, when Pyro and Cassandra Nova‘s other followers arrive, he shouts, “Flame on!” and reveals his true identity.

It doesn’t go well, with Pyro extinguishing him in mid-air. Deadpool and Wolverine wake up strapped to each other with Johnny beside them, who fills them in about Nova.

When they arrive at her base, Deadpool tells Nova Johnny was insulting her behind her back. Johnny promises it’s all nonsense, but Nova punishes him anyway… by snatching the skin and flesh from his bones like a tablecloth. He dies, obviously.

Why did Chris Evans come back to Marvel?

Chris Evans said he’d happily return as the Human Torch because there’s not as much baggage compared to reprising his role as Captain America.

Steve Rogers had a complete arc in the MCU: we saw him lose the love of his life to time, his best friend was corrupted and resurrected from within, and when the world was safe, he finally got the chance to have a peaceful life with Peggy.

Johnny Storm was a fan favorite, but in Evans’ eyes, he “didn’t really get his day.”

“I mean, I guess all bets are off. Yeah. Look, I would love it. I would love it. That would actually be an easier sell to me than coming back as Cap,” he told MTV News in 2022.

“Cap is so precious to me. And you know, I almost don’t wanna 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. So, I loved that role and, you know, who knows.”

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the cameo, Evans said: “I was so excited. Ryan’s a buddy. He just shot me a text saying, ‘Listen, might be a long shot, but would you have any interest in reprising something from 20 years ago?’ I said, ‘Oh my God! Of course.'”

Will Chris Evans return as Captain America?

It’s highly likely we’ll see Chris Evans as Captain America again, probably in Avengers: Secret Wars, but this hasn’t been confirmed.

Rumors of Evans picking up the shield again emerged in 2021, when Deadline reported he was nearing a deal “to return as Steve Rogers aka Captain America in at least one Marvel property, with the door open for a second film.”

For all we know, those may have been negotiations regarding Deadpool & Wolverine. But Evans has addressed the prospect of coming back as Cap – and why it worries him.

Last year (as reported by Comic Book), he said while there’s “more Steve Rogers stories to tell”, he’s still hesitant to return.

“It’s tough, because look, I love that role deeply. He means so much to me, and I really do. I think there’s more Steve Rogers stories to tell, sure,” he explained.

“But at the same time, I’m very, very precious with it. I’d become, you know, it’s like this little shiny thing that I have that I love so much, and I just don’t want to mess up in any way, and I was a part of something that was so special for the special period of time and in a way, it really landed so well.

“As much as I’m connected to that role and love telling those stories and working with those people. It doesn’t quite feel right, right now.”

While promoting Lightyear, he also said revisiting Captain America “would be a tall order.”

But, as we saw at SDCC 2024, the MCU is never closed for its biggest names. Perhaps we’ll see Evans pull a Downey Jr. move and become a multiversal supervillain, instead.

With the movie in cinemas now, read our Deadpool and Wolverine review, check out our Marvel movies in order guide, and see where it fits on our Marvel Cinematic Universe movies ranking. Speaking of the MCU, it’s worth checking in on Captain America 4, Secret Wars and The Fantastic Four to see how Phase 6 will play out.