EVANS NEARLY TURNED DOWN CAPTAIN AMERICA ROLE

Chris Evans considered turning down his role as Captain America - because he was reluctant to tackle a potentially "life-changing role".

The Fantastic Four star has landed the lead in upcoming comic book blockbuster The First Avenger: Captain America, opposite British newcomer Hayley Atwell.

But the 28 year old admits he had reservations about signing up for such a high-profile part, as he feels more comfortable on the sidelines in a supporting role.

He tells Britain's Empire magazine, "It was a couple of weeks weighing all the options. There was certainly a period where I was shying away from the movie. It's intimidating. It's pretty daunting. There's certainly a life-changing role there and that was part of the process. Did I want to take this on? I like supporting roles, I like the way my life is now and I have the best of both worlds. This would potentially change that. But you know what? This could be a good thing."

And Evans reveals he has never read a Captain America story - so he's preparing for the role by catching up on his comic book reading.

He adds, "I have to start reading some comic books in order to get an idea of who this guy is and where he came from, before I can start building the character."