Fans of Chris Evans as Captain America may not be able to see him after this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier and 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Captain America and Black Widow Grow 'Closer' In 'The Winter Soldier?'

In a new interview with Variety, the actor expressed his desire to step away from acting for a while so he can focus on his newest passion-directing.

"I've known for a while I wanted to direct," Evans said in the March 25 interview. "but (time) never really opens up. There's another movie to do, there's another acting job. It just got to a point where I was like, you know what-I have to do this."

Black Widow Solo Movie After 'Avengers 2?'

With news that Marvel recently green-lighted a third Captain America film to be released opposite DC's Batman vs. Superman for a May 16, 2016 release, Evans' desire to go behind the camera hints his character could potentially meet a less-than-desirable fate to fans of the comic books, who know that Steve Rogers is killed off and replaced by Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. The Winter Soldier, in later volumes.

However, Evans is assuring fans that he won't retire from the Marvel powerhouse films anytime soon.

"If I'm acting at all, it's going to be under Marvel Contract, or I'm going to be directing," he said. "I can't see myself pursuing acting strictly outside of what I'm contractually obligated to do."

In fact, fans can rest easy that Steve Rogers will survive in The Winter Soldier, as Evans is preparing to report to the London set of Age of Ultron.

However, with the news that Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes, signing on to a nine-movie contract with the studios as Evans' own six-film contract slowly draws closer to its end, there's no guarantees that Evans will be signed on to the third Captain America film.

Evans himself admits that he thinks there is a timeline on his acting career.

"We can do this out loud. ('Avengers 2') will shoot till August. I wouldn't be surprised if for all of 2015, we didn't do a movie. I bet by 2017, I'll be done," he said. "That sounds so far away."

Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens April 4, 2014.

Tags: Captain America: The Winter Solider Marvel Chris Evans