As Avengers: Doomsday gears up for its release, excitement surrounding the return of numerous characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is palpable. One noteworthy voice in this conversation is that of Ross Marquand, recognized for his versatile roles in the franchise. Most notably, he stepped into the shoes of Red Skull/Johann Schmidt, succeeding Hugo Weaving for his appearances in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
In a recent panel at WonderCon, Marquand spoke with Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier about the possibility of reprising his role as Red Skull:
Screen Rant: “Speaking of Avengers: Doomsday, have you thought about returning as the Red Skull?”
Ross Marquand: “Yeah, I have! You don’t have to twist my arm. I keep pushing [a Disney+ series for Captain America]. I’ve been pitching a series for seven years. I think it would be amazing if it was a six or seven-part miniseries. Seven would be great, because the first episode is Cap, Tony Stark, and Bruce sitting down and saying, ‘Here’s what you could come up against. We don’t know who this person is, but here are the variables. Here’s what we know, here’s what we don’t know, here’s how you can return the stones. And by the way, how do we unkill Natasha?’ That’s always been a thing where I’ve been like, ‘I don’t quite understand that.’ That’s always been a question that I have with the stones and everything.”
Marquand elaborated on the excitement of exploring Captain America’s journey to return the Infinity Stones, stating that the feasibility of such a series would largely depend on Chris Evans. Nonetheless, he noted the series could take an animated format, akin to What If…?, which he believes would be enjoyable.
Understanding Ross Marquand’s Comments on Red Skull
A Captain America Series May Forge a Reunion for Red Skull and Steve Rogers
In Infinity War, it was unveiled that Red Skull had taken on the role of a Stonekeeper, safeguarding the Soul Stone on Vormir. He reappeared in Endgame, resuming his guarding duties. Although this marked his return to the MCU after a lengthy hiatus since 2011’s Captain America, he did not share the screen with his old foe, Steve Rogers. Hints suggested that their paths might cross during Steve’s temporal journey to return the Infinity Stones. Marquand has previously hinted at the potential for a miniseries detailing Captain America’s “final”mission before he retires to be with Peggy Carter.
Marquand’s concept for a captain-centric miniseries fits well within the narrative timeline of the MCU. Additionally, with Marvel Studios’ recent five-and-a-half-hour live stream unveiling 27 returning cast members—including a surprise lineup of past X-Men actors—speculation continues to swirl around the possible return of fan-favorite characters. Notably, Chris Evans was absent from this roster, yet Marvel head Kevin Feige indicated that more character returns are likely to be announced, suggesting that both Evans and Marquand could still be part of future projects.
Reflecting on Ross Marquand’s Insights About Red Skull
Possibilities for Red Skull in the Multiverse Saga
Given the expansive multiverse themes portrayed in Doomsday, the door is wide open for numerous Marvel characters to make appearances. This scenario certainly leaves the possibility of Ross Marquand’s Red Skull returning to the forefront, potentially enabling a long-awaited reunion with Steve Rogers. There’s also the chance that a variant of Red Skull, one who did not assume the Stonekeeper role, could join the narrative.
While Marquand’s vision for a Captain America-focused series is compelling and offers the chance for further adventures with Steve, the likelihood of Evans returning remains uncertain. Though Evans has publicly expressed his desire to retire from the role, the universe of possibilities in the MCU could still allow for such a project. Ultimately, whether in animation or live action within Avengers: Doomsday, Marquand’s return as Red Skull seems destined to happen given the significance of the character in the franchise.