“Cue cards? I’m showing up off book. I don’t get to say dialogue like this.”

Chris Evans had almost no reservations about making a surprise cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine — and even fewer about spewing profanities in his shocking end-credits monologue.

The Marvel alum recently opened up about his decision to accept Ryan Reynolds’ invitation to reprise the role of Jonny Storm, from his days as Fantastic Four’s Human Torch.

“It was a couple years ago and I got a text from Ryan — we’re buddies,” Evans recalled in a new interview with PEOPLE. “He just said, ‘Listen, if you don’t like this idea, no worries whatsoever. But I have something that could really bring the house down and would let you play a character from your past.'”

The Ghosted star continued, “I mean, honestly, I would do anything Ryan asked. He gave me a great cameo in Free Guy already, and I just trust him completely. So the chance to be Johnny again, I couldn’t pass up.”

Chris Evans Ryan Reynolds

Evans ultimately “loved” every step of the experience, saying, “It was fun to shoot, fun to watch, all of it.”

Thought he’s better known for originating the role of Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evans certainly stunned audiences when he uttered the words “Flame on!’ in Deadpool & Wolverine. But perhaps more shocking was hearing the man who once chastised Steve Rogers with a profanity warning (“Language!”) deliver a monologue filled with expletives and sexual innuendo.

“Ryan was like, ‘Listen, if we need cue cards…'” Evans said of the speech. “And I was like, ‘Cue cards? I’m showing up off book. I don’t get to say dialogue like this. Trust me. I’m going to enjoy every second of this. Memorized.'”

Long before he donned the stars and stripes, Evans played the Human Torch in 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, in which he starred opposite Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Jessica Alba as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm/the Thing. The cast only made two movies together before Fox, years later, attempted a reboot that premiered to poor box-office returns and negative reviews after a notoriously troubled production.

Marvel’s First Family is getting the reboot treatment once more with the MCU’s upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. This time around, Stranger Things alum Quinn will take on the role of Johnny Storm — and he’ll be keeping a certain someone’s portrayal in mind.

“I remember really enjoying Chris Evans’s performance as Johnny in the previous films, and it felt like this would be a really exciting opportunity; I was absolutely signed up,” Quinn told Entertainment Weekly of accepting the gig.

As for whether that version of the character influenced his audition, Quinn said, “No. I mean, you’re going to make it your own.” But, he said of Evans, “It’s big boots [to fill].”