10 Characters Who Can Replace Iron Man In The MCU

The character of Iron Man proved one of the MCU’s most important figures prior to his death, and the franchise has many characters with the potential to replace him in different ways. First established as a hero in the Iron Man movies, Tony Stark went on to become one of the franchise’s most pivotal characters in subsequent appearances. From the creator of countless pieces of world-altering technology to the leader of the Avengers, Stark’s dual role as both the hero Iron Man and the brilliantly innovative genius billionaire made him one of the MCU’s key figures. However, his death in Avengers: Endgame left a hole in the franchise.

Thankfully, the many movies of the MCU have introduced several characters capable of continuing Iron Man’s legacy in the franchise. Though few of them would be able to reach the same heights of popularity and canonical import as Stark, the MCU features many characters with the potential to step into one or several of the fallen hero’s roles. Some possess an intellect to rival Stark’s, while others are capable of donning Iron Man armor to keep the spirit of the hero alive, or to serve as fitting leaders of the Avengers in his place. With that in mind, here are 10 characters who can replace Iron Man in the MCU.

10 Ironheart

Though Riri Williams never met Tony Stark, she’s still one of the most natural successors to his place in the MCU. As a hero, Ironheart is Iron Man’s closest counterpart remaining in the MCU: she’s an inventive technological genius who builds her own set of armor in order to become a hero. Not only do Ironheart’s armor and intellect make her the most obvious stand-in for Tony Stark, but she’s conceptually the closest character to the fallen hero, making her a clear contender to take Iron Man’s place in the MCU.

9 Shuri

The ending of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might see Shuri adopt the mantle of the Black Panther, but she is also a contender to replace Iron Man in the MCU. Shuri is one of the MCU’s most brilliant inventors, serving as the technologically gifted mind behind some of Wakanda’s greatest innovations. As Wakandan royalty, she’s a character with a great deal of influence to match her brilliant mind, subtly drawing parallels between her and Stark. Although she has adopted the mantle of another of the MCU’s late heroes, she’s also a good choice to take Iron Man’s place as the mind behind any new Avengers technology moving forward.

8 Morgan Stark

Morgan Stark might not be a particularly big part of the MCU canon at present, but when it comes to representing Tony Stark’s legacy in the MCU she’s the most obvious choice. The hero’s daughter was young when her father sacrificed his own life to stop Thanos, but having an older Morgan Stark take up the mantle of her heroic parent would be an emotional and fitting way to continue her MCU story. The MCU’s take on the character is also an original one, meaning the possibilities for Morgan are wide open for her to step into her father’s armor in the future.

7 Pepper Potts/Rescue

Pepper Potts is one of many MCU characters to wear Stark armor in the franchise, making her a potential replacement for Iron Man. Tony Stark’s widow already donned the armor in Avengers: Endgame, having seemingly taken up her role as Rescue from the comics. Though she has primarily been portrayed as a supporting character so far in the MCU, she could potentially be brought to the fore in future movies, as her relationship with Tony, her proximity to Iron Man, and her use of Stark armor all make her a contender to replace her late husband.

6 War Machine

In aesthetic terms, War Machine is the closest match to Iron Man already in the MCU. As well as being Tony Stark’s best friend, James Rhodes was the first person Stark trusted with his own suit of armor, and continued to fight alongside Iron Man across multiple movies. The friendship between the two and the similarities in the abilities given to them by their armor mean that War Machine could stand in for Iron Man as a more experienced Avenger in the future of the franchise.

5 Doctor Strange

Despite Iron Man’s powers being technological and Doctor Strange’s being magical, the latter could actually be the best replacement for the former in the MCU for a different reason. Arguably Iron Man’s most important MCU role was that of the Avengers’ leader, which is a responsibility perhaps best suited now to Strange. As one of the MCU’s most powerful magic users and an already prominent Avenger, Doctor Strange is a clear choice to lead the superhero team after Iron Man’s death. Though the heroes are vastly different, their leadership qualities make Strange a strong successor to Iron Man’s Avengers role.

4 Spider-Man

When it comes to iconic Marvel heroes, few are as big as Spider-Man, and he could replace Tony Stark in one of two ways. As a hero, he could step up as a leader within the MCU, following in the footsteps of his own deceased mentor. However, Peter Parker also possesses one of the MCU’s most brilliant minds, and this was one of the qualities that Stark himself valued in the young hero. Spider-Man could potentially take Iron Man’s place as one of the MCU’s inventors, supporting other heroes and the wider franchise with his scientifically gifted mind.

3 Taskmaster

An unorthodox choice, perhaps, but in a conceptual sense, Taskmaster could replace Iron Man in some MCU stories. Of the Thunderbolts, Taskmaster is the closest equivalent to Iron Man – she possesses technologically advanced armor, but more pertinently, she matches him in her adaptability. Where Iron Man achieved this through the constant evolution of his armor, Taskmaster does it through her ability to mimic the powers and abilities of others. This would allow the character to play a similar role to Stark in some storylines, albeit from the perspective of an anti-hero.

2 Mr Fantastic

As the mind behind Stark Industries, Tony Stark’s wealth and intelligence led to the formation of the Avengers in the MCU. However, the franchise is soon set to introduce another character capable of playing this role: Reed Richards, the leader of the Fantastic Four. As a brilliant scientist to rival Stark, Richards also possesses the wealth to financially back his own group of superheroes or to support the Avengers in Iron Man’s absence. He’s also the leader of his own team, making him an obvious potential replacement for Iron Man in the MCU’s future.

1 An Iron Man Variant

Another replacement for the MCU’s dead Tony Stark would be as simple as introducing a new iteration of the character. Thanks to the MCU’s Multiverse narrative, there is plenty of potential for an Iron Man variant to step into the main continuity. This could be an opportunity to recast Iron Man in the MCU or to bring back Robert Downey Jr., but no character could replace Tony Stark quite like the man himself. Though this may risk undermining his MCU hero arc, it’s also the most obvious and quietly brilliant way of replacing Iron Man in the franchise.