A Marvel star suffered a traumatic brain injury after an accident in 2025.The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown exponentially since the release of Iron Man (2008), with hundreds of actors now involved in the franchise to varying degrees. Over the years, plenty of these stars have made their exits from the franchise – some thanks to the natural conclusion of their characters’ storylines, and others due to their own personal choices.Credit: Marvel StudiosIn 2024, Evangeline Lilly confirmed that she had fallen into the latter camp. After portraying Hope van Dyne, AKA the Wasp, in the Ant-Man franchise and Avengers: Endgame (2019), Lilly revealed plans to step away from acting and instead focus on her family and humanitarian work.However, her hiatus hasn’t proven as peaceful as originally planned. Lilly has confirmed that she suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2025.‘Ant-Man’ Star Suffers Brain DamageLilly took to Instagram to reveal that she was diagnosed with “brain damage.” This followed an incident while on vacation in Hawaii in May 2025, when Lilly fainted on the beach and fell headfirst into a boulder. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Evangeline Lilly (@evangelinelillyofficial)“At the hospital, the nurses and doctor went straight into action, more determined to find the cause of my blackout than to stitch up the hole punctured into my face by the rock,” Lilly wrote in a Substack essay at the time.She has now detailed the full consequences of her injuries.“A lot of you have asked how I’m doing,” Lilly said in a video posted on New Year’s Day. “A lot of you have inquired about the brain scan that you heard I got. The results came back from the scan, and almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity.”Credit: Marvel StudiosShe continued: “I do have brain damage from the TBI (traumatic brain injury) and possibly other factors going on. My job now is to get to the bottom of that with my doctors.”Lilly concluded that the accident helped her slow down in life, noting that this past holiday season was “the most restful Christmas” she’s had since welcoming her two sons in 2011 and 2015.“I’m still feeling extraordinarily grateful and blessed to be able to play for one more day, one more year on this beautiful living planet,” she said. “So, that is my concussion update. Thank you all for caring.”Credit: Marvel StudiosWhat Does This Mean For Evangeline Lilly’s Acting Career?Evangeline Lilly’s Marvel co-stars have rallied around her since the news dropped.Michelle Pfeiffer – who plays her on-screen mother, Janet van Dyne, in the Ant-Man series – wrote in the comments of her Instagram video, “You are a warrior. Nothing – not even this will defeat you my friend.”Meanwhile, David Dastmalchian – who plays Kurt, a friend and roommate of Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang – left a comment of three hearts.Credit: Marvel StudiosLilly’s last Marvel appearance came in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), which wasn’t exactly well-received by audiences. The film made just $476.1 million at the box office (small change for a Marvel movie) and scored 46% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.In 2024, Lilly told Variety in 2024 that she was no longer under a contract with Marvel Studios. “I have actually been on a hiatus from acting for the past three years already (since finishing work on ‘Quantumania’),” she said in a statement. “This time outside of the business has brought me a grounding sense of fulfillment and joy. I could return tomorrow, two years from now or never, but at the moment I am not actively pursuing any work in the industry and am not under any contractual obligations to anybody. I am devoting my time to my humanitarian work and my writing.”Many had expressed hope that she would return to the franchise regardless. Both Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) are expected to assemble huge numbers of Marvel heroes, both past and present, including the likes of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America and Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom instead of Tony Stark/Iron Man. With Rudd confirmed to return as Scott Lang, Lilly’s return as Hope only seems natural.However, with Lilly – who previously played Kate Austen in the iconic ABC TV series Lost – now focused on recovery and slowing down outside of Hollywood, the odds of her return seem slim.Would you like to see Evangeline Lilly return as Hope van Dyne?The post Marvel Star Diagnosed with Brain Damage, Future Acting Roles in Doubt appeared first on Inside the Magic.