Iron Man may have died in 2019, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

is just now preparing to replace the character, and I’m excited about the next chapter. The MCU is an extraordinary achievement in cinema, having started in 2008 and continued for almost two decades to be a dominant force at the box office. And in part, this success came from having exceptional heroes serve as the beating heart of the ever-expanding universe. Initially, this consisted of the Avengers team, with Iron Man at the center.

While Iron Man was not actually the leader of the Avengers, he was the first character to lead an MCU film. From that point on in 2008, his course and story arc closely followed the MCU’s, which resulted in the entire Infinity Saga feeling like a very Tony Stark-centric saga. However, with the character sacrificing himself in 2019s Avengers: Endgame, the void left in his absence has only grown over time. But thankfully, it appears as though the MCU is finally making it clear who the next anchor being will be.

The Question Of Who Would Serve As The MCU’s Next Iron Man Has Been Ongoing Since Tony Stark’s Death In Avengers: Endgame

Tony Stark Was Likely The Anchor Being Of The Sacred Timeline

When Tony Stark snapped Thanos and his army out of existence, he did so at the cost of his own life. This led to his protégé, Peter Parker, his wife, Pepper Potts, his daughter, Morgan Stark, and so many others being torn apart by the insurmountable loss. However, Tony Stark’s sacrifice inspired other heroes to keep going, and move forward. And yet, with a world that was irreversibly damaged by the five-year blip, and the impact of things like the Sokovia Accords, the heroes were more divided than ever before. And in the wake of this disaster, the question of who would step up to take Tony’s place became a prominent one.

The most obvious figure who resembles Iron Man in terms of a power set is Riri Williams, the girl who built her own Ironheart suit. Then Peter Parker, who had Tony serve as his mentor. And even people like Doctor Strange were considered as being the next leader and guide for the Avengers. But with Sam Wilson’s Captain America all but confirmed to be leading the new Avengers, the question of who can replace that role played by Tony Stark remains unanswered.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Sets Mister Fantastic Up As The Closest Thing To The MCU’s Next Iron Man In More Than One Way

Mister Fantastic Is Already MIrroring Tony Stark’s Story In Several Important Ways

But, the MCU’s trailers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps appear to position Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, as being the next central figure in the MCU in a way that closely resembles Iron Man’s journey. Reed Richards is extremely intelligent, and his genius and invention have led to the world becoming the target of an overwhelming threat in the form of Galactus. As seen in the trailers, Reed holds himself personally responsible, due to his efforts to try and push limits and go beyond natural boundaries. In a similar way, Tony drew attention from aliens across the galaxy, and built a machine like Ultron that caused devastating destruction.

As a result, both Reed and Tony took on their roles as being a leader to other heroes, and trying to protect the world from further harm. Reed makes this clear in the trailer when he clearly responds to public concerns about safety by saying, “WE will protect you.” This aspect of personally taking on the responsibility, making promises to the public, and trying to lead, is a clear example of how Reed Richards is being built up as a similar figure in the MCU going forward to what Tony Stark was throughout the Infinity Saga. And it makes a lot of sense for the MCU to move in this direction.

Why Having Mister Fantastic Serve A Very Similar Role To Iron Man In The MCU Makes Sense

Mister Fantastic Will Shape The Future Of The MCU

Reed Richards, along with the other members of The Fantastic Four, are often referred to as Marvel’s First Family. This is because they are among some of the earliest heroes who became wildly popular under the Marvel label, and they served as essentially the heart of the Marvel Comics. It always made sense to have these characters appear as central figures in the MCU, but due to the character rights being tied up, they have only now been able to approach their story in the MCU. But more than that, Reed is also being positioned as the primary rival to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, which is a clear hint at his importance.

In the comics, Doom is always established as being Mister Fantastic’s biggest rival. Intellectually, the two are nearly matched, but their desires and motivations are opposite in many ways. And this duality between the characters is often a major point within the comics. Having Reed Richards come to the MCU now, as one saga ends and another begins, and positioning him against RDJ’s Doom is highly informative, and it feels like a clear nod to the role Reed will have going forward in the MCU.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday

  Release Date

  
  May 1, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Release Date

  
  July 31, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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