Two original Avengers are set to be recast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige. The Multiverse Saga is nearing its end, as Phase 6 will launch this summer with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which introduces Marvel’s First Family to the Avengers-centric franchise.

However, as Phase 6 will conclude The Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, there has been a lot of speculation about the state of the MCU after 2027. While some of the original Avengers are still around, it appears that Marvel Studios is looking to reboot some of the previous members down the line.

During Feige’s roundtable press event with several outlets, including Variety, the Marvel Studios president “indicated” that big MCU players will eventually get recast, and that goes for some of the most iconic heroes of the franchise: Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, played by Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. Feige looked to other film franchises as examples, as he shared the following:

Amy Pascal and David Heyman are now searching for a new James Bond. David [Corenswet], the new Superman — he was awesome. That will always be the case. I think it’s hard for anybody to do that when an actor has done such a great role. How are they going to ever replace Sean Connery [as James Bond], right?

Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to the MCU in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as Victor von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom. While there have been reports that Chris Evans will be back for Avengers: Doomsday, the actor has thus far denied any involvement.

What Marvel Recasting Tony Stark And Steve Rogers Means

Since Feige has confirmed that Avengers: Secret Wars will reset, rather than reboot, the MCU, it’s not a shock that major roles like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark will be recast in the franchise. Since Phase 1, the two characters have been some of the most popular Avengers throughout the Infinity Saga, with their legacies still recognized during The Multiverse Saga.

Keeping Tony Stark and Steve Rogers absent from the MCU permanently was never going to happen, especially with a concept like the multiverse at Marvel Studios’ disposal. With that in mind, it doesn’t mean that characters like Sam Wilson, who is now the new Captain America, and Riri Williams’ Ironheart, won’t be able to exist at the same time as recast versions of Tony and Steve.

Our Take On Marvel Recasting Tony Stark And Steve Rogers

From Feige’s recasting comments alone, it raises the question of how soon the MCU audience may see new stars in the roles of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, since it could always be as early as Phase 7, or much later. Whether it ends up being Steve and Tony variants who become permanent members of the new MCU after the Avengers: Secret Wars story remains to be seen.

Even when new actors are cast to play Iron Man and Captain America on the big screen, it won’t erase Downey Jr. and Evans’ legacy and impact on those characters. But for the time being, fans will have to wait and see when the MCU eventually recasts those Avengers heroes.

Source: Variety