Superhero actor says he is focusing on directing, with first film – 1.30 Train – in post-production, but will act in Marvel films

The star of the Captain America films, Chris Evans, has backtracked over a statement made recently that he plans to retire from acting following his stint as the patriotic superhero.

Evans, currently appearing in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, told Variety last week that he planned to move behind the camera following the completion of his contract with Disney-owned Marvel Studios. The 32-year-old actor, who recently completed work on a directorial debut, 1:30 Train, has three more films as the superhero on his slate.

But in an interview with ABC News, Evans said his earlier statement had been incorrect. "By no means am I planning on retiring," he said, calling his previous comments "kind of a silly statement". By way of caveat, he added: "I certainly am going to try and focus a bit more on directing at this point."

Evans first revealed details of 1:30 Train in August. The microbudget romance, in which the US actor also stars alongside Alice Eve, has yet to be released in cinemas.



Previously the Boston-raised actor had told Variety: "If I'm acting at all, it's going to be under Marvel contract, or I'm going to be directing. I can't see myself pursuing acting strictly outside of what I'm contractually obligated to do." His comments were widely interpreted as signalling the end of Evans's career in front of the cameras only two years after he appeared as Captain America in the third-highest-grossing film of all time, 2012's The Avengers.

• Interview: Chris Evans