The Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently undergoing a period of change. Marvel Studios is already working on a new structure for its television shows. Similarly, their theatrical output has been refocused on a new slate of characters. Now, according to a new rumor, the next major change could see three classic MCU Avengers being recast.
Many of the original Avengers from 2012’s The Avengers are no longer part of the MCU. The original team included Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye.
The only members still involved with the MCU to date are Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye is still active, though it’s possible that Marvel Studios would want to replace him with Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. Either way, the MCU’s original Avengers team is becoming less and less.
Nevertheless, the popularity of these characters remains. Many fans feel like there is a void in a MCU with The Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four but no Iron Man. Now, according to the below Avengers: Secret Wars rumor, this could be resolved with a recast of Robert Downey Jr.’s signature role. And, similarly enough, two other characters could be recast as well.
This possibility was brought up when one fan asked a question to insider @MyTimeToShineH:
“What’s it looking like in regards to Secret Wars soft-rebooting the MCU? Can we expect to see new actors playing Tony, Steve and Natasha post-Secret Wars so we’ll finally be getting those characters in the same universe as the X-Men, Fantastic Four, etc.?”
“Yes to all of it,” @MyTimeToShineH replied.
Yes to all of it
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) December 2, 2023
This lines up with previous rumors that Avengers: Secret Wars could launch a new continuity for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a concept that the comics have used several times over the decades when in need of a reboot. This would also allow Disney to better integrate properties like the X-Men that never had the chance to co-exist within the MCU.
Of course, the issues with a recast is that fans might not be willing to accept new actors for these beloved characters. But it’s certainly happened in the past, so if that’s the route they choose to pursue, we’ll just have to see what happens. As always, take this information with a grain of salt and stay tuned for more updates as we have them.