Marvel is set to recast some of the iconic characters in its upcoming X-Men franchise and introduce an all-new Tony Stark, a superhero long associated with Robert Downey Jr., studio chief Kevin Feige said in a statement.
According to US-based news outlet Variety, Kevin announced that Marvel will introduce a new cast of mutant characters in its upcoming X-Men film, set after 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. The upcoming film will be directed by Jake Schreier of Thunderbolts* fame.
Several stars from the earlier X-Men films including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Kelsey Grammer will reprise their roles in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, as per the report by Variety.
“We’re utilizing that not just to round out the stories we’ve been telling post Endgame (2019), just as importantly — and you can look at the ‘Secret Wars’ comics for where that takes you — it very, very much sets us up for the future. ‘Endgame,’ literally, was about endings. ‘Secret Wars’ is about beginnings,” Feige told Variety.
However, he avoided calling the changes a ‘reboot’, describing ‘Secret Wars’ as a reset for the MCU.
“Reboot is a scary word,” he said. “Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline — we’re thinking along those lines.” Later, he added, “‘X-Men’ is where that will happen next.”
Feige also acknowledged that more Marvel characters will be recast in the future, even though it’s hard to picture anyone else taking over roles like Tony Stark or Steve Rogers — characters so closely tied to Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans respectively.
Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., meets his end in Avengers: Endgame, while Captain America decides to retire from hero duties.
Feige also referred to Amazon MGM’s search for new actors to take on the role of James Bond. Additionally, he talked about the Superman reboot while discussing the idea of recasting iconic characters.
When asked about a sequel to Marvel’s 2024 hit Deadpool & Wolverine starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, Feige offered no concrete details.
MCU’s next release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is slated to hit theatres on July 25.