Iron Man Is The Only Original Avenger That Isn’t Being Replaced In Phase Four

The original lineup of the Avengers were the backbone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade, but despite the team making their final stand in Avengers: Endgame, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are guaranteed to return at some point in the future, although the roster that first appeared in Phase One has been scattered to the winds.

There’ve been rumors that Marvel Studios are planning on replacing virtually all of their marquee heroes over the next few years, with the next batch of characters set to inherit those mantles already waiting in the wings, but with the notable exception of Iron Man, the six heroes that first joined forces to fight the Battle of New York will all have been replaced as soon as the end of Phase Four.

Steve Rogers is already retired and Sam Wilson is poised to become the MCU’s latest Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Jane Foster will return to the fold and end up wielding Mjolnir by the end of Thor: Love and Thunder, while Black Widow director Cate Shortland recently confirmed that Yelena Belova is set to inherit Natasha Romanoff’s codename in the future.

Over on Disney Plus, meanwhile, Clint Barton will take a backseat as Kate Bishop steps up to the plate as Hawkeye, while the introduction of She-Hulk could signal that Bruce Banner’s days as the shared universe’s premiere gamma-radiated superhero could be numbered. That just leaves the alter ego of the irreplaceable Tony Stark, and even then there have been rumors of either Riri Williams or Iron Man 3’s Harley Keener suiting up in an armored costume of their own design.

The man who brought them all together, meanwhile, could also be set for the chopping block, with Abigail Brand and S.W.O.R.D. potentially stepping in to assume the role of overseers currently held by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. The next iteration of the Avengers looks to deliver something familiar with an entirely new spin then thanks to the raft of fresh faces set to debut throughout Phase Four, and we look forward to seeing them step in for some of cinema’s most popular and beloved names.