In the end, it didn't happen, as we could see. “I love Tom Cruise, and I said to Kevin Feige at one point, I was like, 'Could we get Tom Cruise's Iron Man?” he added. “I just don't think it was ever an option, because of availability.” Feige reportedly replied.
Summary. Rhodey, aka War Machine, is confirmed as the ideal replacement for Iron Man in the upcoming Armor Wars, as his characterization now mirrors Stark's. Rhodey's reveal as a Skrull impostor adds a layer of trauma and parallel to Tony Stark's origin story, making him a compelling successor to Iron Man.
Cruise was also heavily rumored to play an Iron Man variant thanks to the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which did not end up happening. While the actor has yet to join the MCU, there are many different roles in Marvel's slate of projects that are perfectly suited for Cruise.
Marvel Has Announced Ironheart And Armor Wars Projects
as Iron Man have been announced, Tony Stark's legacy is still being felt in the MCU. Riri Williams, who appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and will be the lead character in the upcoming Ironheart series, is in many ways a direct successor to Tony.
His decision to pass on the role was influenced by creative concerns and, according to Kevin Feige, financial considerations, as Cruise's asking fee exceeded what the studio was willing to risk on an untested superhero property.
SUPERIOR IRON MAN Trailer #1 HD | Disney+ Concept | Tom Cruise, Benedict Cumberbatch
Why is Robert Downey Jr not in Marvel?
Popular on Variety. “It purely came down to the Marvel board being nervous at putting all of their chips in their future films on somebody who famously had those legal troubles in the past,” Feige said of Downey's arrests. “I wasn't very good — and I'm still not great — at taking no for an answer.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said last month that he won't be asking Downey Jr. to return to the MCU as to preserve Tony Stark's emotional ending (“We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way,” he said), but that hasn't stopped rumors from ...
Don Cheadle's James Rhodes, better known as Rhodey, is reportedly set to take on the mantle of Iron Man in the upcoming MCU film 'Armor Wars', slated for a 2026 release. This development was revealed in the series 'Secret Invasion', where it was also shown that Rhodey had been replaced by a Skrull in the past.
Biography. Inspired by Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, and determined to follow in his heroic footsteps, fifteen-year-old super-genius Riri Williams builds her own suit of advanced armor and leads a life of adventure, crime-fighting, and humanitarianism as the Super Hero known as Ironheart.
In the end, it didn't happen, as we could see. “I love Tom Cruise, and I said to Kevin Feige at one point, I was like, 'Could we get Tom Cruise's Iron Man?” he added. “I just don't think it was ever an option, because of availability.” Feige reportedly replied.
RDJ later headlined Iron Man 3 (2013) in phase 2, but a fourth movie never surfaced despite Tony remaining a central figure in the franchise for another six years until his death in Avengers: Endgame (2019).
MORE: Robert Downey Jr. isn't coming back as Tony Stark, Marvel Studios president says. Tony Stark sacrificed himself to snap away Thanos at the end of 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Vanity Fair in December, "we would never want to magically undo it in any way."
Robert Downey Jr. expressed his excitement about returning to the role that has defined a generation of superhero films. "Tony Stark's story is far from over," Downey said. "Iron Man 4 will explore new dimensions of the character and his legacy through the eyes of Morgan.
Chris Evans is rumored to return as Captain America in Avengers: Secret Wars, sparking speculation and excitement among fans. Avengers: Secret Wars is rumored to feature actors from Marvel movies predating the MCU, creating a multiverse connection.
Highlights. Scarlett Johansson shuts down rumors about Black Widow's potential return in the MCU, stating that she feels her character's story came to an end in Avengers: Endgame.
Have the Russo brothers reacted to Robert Downey Jr's MCU return?
Avengers: Endgame directors are confused by Robert Downey Jr.'s comments about returning as Iron Man: "We closed that book" Avengers: Endgame directors the Russo Brothers aren't too convinced by Robert Downey Jr.'s recent comments about potentially suiting up again as Iron Man in the MCU.
Summary. Feige won't bring back MCU's main Iron Man after his Endgame sacrifice, but a variant could still allow RDJ to return without undoing his death. The MCU's use of alternate reality variants opens the door for Iron Man's return in a way that respects his previous sacrifice.
Key Facts. “The Marvels” has grossed $197 million worldwide since its Nov. 10 opening, and the box office has stagnated so much that Variety has declared it officially the lowest-grossing installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking the title from “The Incredible Hulk,” which grossed $264 million in 2008.
In the feature films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Morgan Stark is the name of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts' daughter, who in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame, is played by Lexi Rabe.
