Chris Evans, known for his role as “Captain America” in multiple big-budget Marvel films, has also starred in smaller independent films. He noted that the experience on the sets of big and small films differs significantly. Evans described Marvel sets as huge factories, where at times, it can be challenging to complete work due to the large number of people present.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Evans shared his perspective on filming big-budget movies like “Captain America: Civil War” (2016) and small-budget films like “Gifted” (2017). He expressed that in some cases, he found indie films to be more fulfilling.
Evans stated, “The ‘Captain America’ films are great, and each one makes me proud, but the set feels like a massive factory where we often find ourselves just sitting there.” He added, “But when working on a film like ‘Gifted,’ you come home every day feeling like you really had to act!”
He humorously mentioned the difference in workload, saying, “You feel exhausted, having to memorize eight or nine pages of dialogue. In ‘Captain America,’ if you’re lucky, you might only have to learn two pages per day. But it’s okay, it’s a different process. However, in a low-budget film, the intimate interactions with others feel refreshing, and you feel more hands-on.”
However, filming Marvel movies also presents its challenges. In 2016, Evans shared with Entertainment Tonight that while he looked robust and muscular in “Civil War,” he ended up injuring himself. He explained, “You try to stay fit before filming starts, but during the shoot, your weight gradually decreases because you’re constantly sweating in that costume, feeling exhausted, and gradually losing workout hours.”
Furthermore, Evans suffered physical injuries while filming Marvel movies. He recounted, “In the first week of shooting, I actually injured my arm. It was pretty bad. It was a fake helicopter, but its drift got out of my control, and my hand twisted. Even now, my hand isn’t in great condition.”
Audiences have started showing fatigue towards superhero movies. In February this year, at the Emerald City Comic Con, Evans defended Marvel films, stating, “These are all big productions, like a kitchen with many cooks. But experience shows that it doesn’t make the job any easier. If it were easy, we would have more good films. I’m not criticizing openly! I’ve made mistakes a few times too, it happens, making movies is very challenging, and having more cooks in the kitchen doesn’t simplify things.”
Evans emphasized, “I don’t want to pinpoint specific movies within the Marvel projects, but some of them are outstanding. Like great independent, fair, and objective films, I believe they deserve more appreciation.”