Chris Evans rose to pr0minence with the 2001 comedy Not Another Teen Movie before gaining more fame with 2005's Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel. However, he achieved international stardom after ing the MCU, playing Captain America in eleven films over eight years.
His film, Lightyear, is poised to make big money at the box office; indeed, several of Evans' non-MCU films have been commercially successful. And while it might be easy to think of him as Captain America only, his filmography and box-office receipts prove he is a far more versatile actor than people think.
Push (2009) - $48.9 Million
Evans co-stars opposite Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, and Djimon Hounsou in 2009's superhero film Push. The story follows a group of superpowered people fighting a government agency that's been kidnapping and experimenting on them in the hopes of creating a superhuman army.
As the film's lead, Evans has a substantial role and does his best in an otherwise by-the-numbers story. Push received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who praised the cast's efforts and the film's visual style but found fault with everything else.
Cellular (2004) - $57.6 Million
Cellular has Evans co-starring opposite Academy Award winner Kim Basinger, Academy Award nominee William H. Macy, and Jason Statham. The story follows a kidnapped woman who dials a random number and reaches a young college student, involving him in a dangerous plot.
Directed by David R. Ellis, Cellular was one of Chris Evans' biggest successes pre-Fantastic Four. The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising the cast, premise, and action sequences but criticizing the needlessly complicated plot and generic tone. Cellular grossed $57.6 million worldwide, making it a decent performer in Evans' filmography.
Not Another Teen Movie (2001) - $66.5 Million
Evans rose to prominence with 2001's subversive comedy Not Another Teen Movie. A mockery of several teen films, the story follows a handsome jock who agrees to give a makeover to an unpopular girl and make her the prom queen. Evans co-starred alongside a whos-who of up-and-coming 2000s actors, including Chyler Leigh, Jamie Pressley, Lacey Chabert, and Sam Huntington.
Not Another Teen Movie received mostly negative reviews, with most criticism aimed at the film's gross-out gags and crass humor. However, it was a decent box office performer, grossing $66.5 million worldwide. The film's standing has improved over time, mainly because of how great it is to see Captain America acting like a jerk.
Street Kings (2008) - $66.5 Million
One of Evans' most underrated films, Street Kings co-stars Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, and Common. Directed by David Ayers, the film focuses on Tom Ludlow, a veteran LAPD member implicated in the death of a fellow officer. Evans plays Detective Diskant, who s Ludlow in the investigation.
Street Kings received mixed-to-negative reviews, with critics finding fault with the story's generic tone. It underperformed at the domestic box office, grossing only $26.4 million, although it did better internationally, earning $39.2 million.
Snowpiercer (2013) - $86.8 Million
Arguably the best film in Evans' filmography, Bong Joon-ho's dystopian sci-fi Snowpiercer follows Earth's last group of survivors aboard a globe-trotting train. Evans plays Curtis, the leader of the lower-class engers, as they revolt against the upper-class. Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, and Ed Harris also star.
Snowpiercer received critical acclaim and is widely regarded as one of the best apocalyptic movies of the 2010s. Particular praise went to Bong Joon-ho's direction, the cast's performances, and the film's weighty and thought-provoking themes. Snowpiercer grossed $86.7 million worldwide, notoriously grossing only $4.5 million in the US after receiving a limited release by The Weinstein Company.
TMNT (2007) - $95.7 Million
TMNT is a computer-animated film based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. It focuses on its titular heroes as they reunite to defend the world following a lengthy separation. Evans voices Casey, April O'Neill's boyfriend and a friend of the turtles.
Negatively received upon release, TMNT grossed $95.7 million worldwide. Critics praised the film's animation style but took issue with its simplistic plot, thing characterization, and lack of humor compared to previous entries in the franchise.
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007) - $301.9 Million
Following the success of the first Fantastic Four movie, Fox greenlit a sequel which arrived two years later. In Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the team deals with the mysterious Silver Surfer, who comes bearing warnings about the arrival of Galactus.
Unlike its predecessor, Rise of the Silver Surfer was somewhat of a disappointment at the box office, grossing the fan-favorite comic book villain Galactus was heavily criticized and remains disliked today.
Knives Out (2019) - $311.6 Million
In one of his first roles after his MCU exit, Evans co-stars opposite a large ensemble led by Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas in Rian Johnson's whodunnit Knives Out. The plot focuses on an expert detective investigating the apparent suicide of a wealthy mystery novelist.
Knives Out received critical acclaim and earned Johnson an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film was also an unexpected commercial success, grossing will premiere on Netflix in late 2023, although Evans won't return.
Free Guy (2021) - $331.5 Million
Ryan Reynolds stars in Shawn Levy's action-comedy Free Guy. The plot focuses on Guy, a video game NPC in a massively multiplayer online game, who partners with a player against a gaming company's CEO. Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, and Taika Waititi co-star. Evans has a brief cameo as himself.
Free Guy was an unexpected critical and commercial hit. The film received positive reviews, with critics praising Reynolds and Comer's performances, the many celebrity cameos -- including Evans -- and the film's humor. Free Guy grossed $331.5 million worldwide, becoming one of the first box-office hits of the pandemic era.
Fantastic Four (2005) - $333.5 Million
Chris Evans' ticket to commercial success first came in 2005 with Tim Story's Fantastic Four. The film follows the titular group as they gain their powers following a space accident and enter into conflict with their former ally, Victor Von Doom. Evans plays Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, alongside Ioan Gruffud, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Julian McMahon.
The film received mixed reviews, with many considering it a mediocre follow-up to the early superhero hype of the 200s following Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2. However, Evans' performance received considerable praise, and the film was a box-office success, grossing $333.5 million worldwide.
