The MCU's roster of armored heroes just got more official. Disney+ confirmed four characters who now make up the MCU's growing "Iron Suit" family, a lineage inspired by Iron Man's iconic legacy. This announcement cements the place of a few key heroes across recent Marvel series and films who have taken up suits of their own.
From the moment the MCU was born with Iron Man in 2008, iron suits have been a defining symbol, representing innovation instead of war-ready ballistics. Whether built in a cave with a box of scraps or infused with the latest Wakandan tech, these armored suits have shaped the MCU's biggest moments. Now, Disney+ is celebrating this legacy with its official Iron Suit Collection, spotlighting four heroes who've carried the torch forward.
MCU Heroes Who Comprise the "Iron Suit" Family
Iron Man
It all started with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), the genius billionaire who created the Iron Man suit and changed the world and the MCU. His MCU catalog includes Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Iron Man 3, along with major team-up films like The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
His arc from reckless weapons manufacturer to self-sacrificing hero in Endgame defined the Infinity Saga and what it meant to wear the suit and protect the world. The character's legacy recently continued on Disney+, with Riri Williams trying to live up to the Iron Man mantle.
War Machine
James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) was one of the first to follow in Stark’s footsteps. Donning a modified version of Tony's tech in Iron Man 2, he became War Machine, a militarized counterpart with heavy artillery and battlefield experience.
He later adopted the Iron Patriot name in Iron Man 3 (but that didn't stick) and continued to serve alongside the Avengers in Age of Ultron, Infinity War, and Endgame. Of course, he was also on Team Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War.
Unfortunately, the last time fans saw Rhodey in the MCU was during Secret Invasion, where it was revealed he had been replaced by a Skrull as far back as Civil War. This controversial twist sparked significant backlash from viewers, who felt it undermined years of heroic moments by revealing an impostor carried them out.
Iron Spider
Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) journey as the Iron Spider began with a gift from Tony Stark in Avengers: Infinity War, a sleek, nanotech-powered suit equipped with enhanced capabilities and mechanical spider legs.
First teased in Spider-Man: Homecoming and fully utilized in Infinity War and Endgame, the Iron Spider armor elevated Peter's game to new heights when taking on alien villains. The Iron Spider suit stuck around in both Spider-Man: Far From Home and No Way Home. Similar to Iron Man, Iron Spider is a thing of the past, as Peter has a gorgeous new red and blue suit following his third film.
Ironheart
Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) is the newest addition to the Iron Suit legacy. Introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri just took center stage in six episodes of her solo series Ironheart. The new collection marks her official arrival as an heir to Stark's innovation and as someone who might soon redefine what it means to be an armored hero.
However, in the Ironheart finale, Riri Williams takes a clear step away from Tony Stark's legacy after a chilling encounter with the demon Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen), who tempts her with power and recognition. Though she once aspired to follow in Iron Man's footsteps, Riri ultimately accepts Mephisto's manipulative offer, hinting at her desire to forge her own path rather than repeat the journey of one of the MCU's most iconic heroes.
The Disney+ Iron Suit Collection brings together a curated lineup of essential MCU titles that chart the rise of Marvel's armored heroes from the full Iron Man trilogy and major Avengers films to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Civil War, and the complete Ironheart series. It even includes animated stories like What If…?, offering fresh takes on these iconic characters.
Riri Williams emerged as the future of the Iron Suit family, with Armor Wars seemingly stuck in development limbo (if not quietly canceled altogether). While Cheadle's War Machine was once poised to carry on Tony Stark's mission, Marvel Studios has gone quiet on the project ever since Secret Invasion's release and backlash.
Meanwhile, Riri's story is just beginning, with Ironheart introducing a bold new direction that blends Stark-level tech with dark magic. When it comes to the character's next step, Ironheart star Dominique Thorne teased a potential appearance in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, hinting that "the odds might be in our favor."
