Marvel finally revealed Tony Stark's MCU replacement, and it made total sense because of a key similar trait. Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark served as the MCU's main pillar in the Infinity Saga. Aside from being one of the leaders of the Avengers, Stark's endless innovations and charismatic personality made him a fan-favorite, which is why his ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame was tragic and heartbreaking. Although the Multiverse Saga managed to set up Ironheart as a potential Iron Man replacement, it's clear that no one could ever replace Stark as the MCU's anchor.
Although Robert Downey Jr. is back in the MCU to portray the evil Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, combined with the recent cryptic Iron Man tease from the Russo Brothers, fans are still scrambling to find a proper Tony Stark replacement. And now, Marvel just revealed the answer to the lingering question in an unexpected fashion.
To celebrate the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Disney+, Marvel Entertainment posted a side-by-side image of Tony Stark and Reed Richards, with a caption saying, "Two over-protective geniuses:"
Based on this post, Marvel subtly revealed that Reed Richards is Tony Stark's replacement on Earth-828, which makes sense given their overprotective nature and genius intellect.
Interestingly, Reed being a Tony Stark replacement fits in the context of Earth-828's placement within the Multiverse, considering that this world has no other Avengers, and the Fantastic Four are the only heroes.
Directed by Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps revolves around the epic clash between the titular heroes against a world-devouring Galactus. The movie stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn. The Fantastic Four: First Steps premiered in theaters on July 25, 2025, before being made available on Disney+ on November 5, 2025.
What Reed Richards Being Tony Stark's Replacement Truly Means
Both Tony Stark and Reed Richards are flawed individuals, but they always strive to do the right thing, be it on the pages of Marvel Comics or within the confines of the MCU.
Stark was not a perfect hero, considering he had missteps along the way, such as Ultron's creation and being an advocate of the Sokovia Accords. Despite that, he ultimately made the sacrifice play by donning the Nano Gauntlet and erasing Thanos and his allies from existence, but at the cost of his life.
While it may be too early for Reed to make the same sacrifice in Avengers: Doomsday, the fact that he is Stark's replacement strongly suggests that he will be at the forefront of the clash against Doom. Aside from the obvious rivalries, the battle with Doom is more personal than it sounds due to Franklin Richards' involvement.
Although Reed is also not a perfect hero like Stark, mainly due to his greatest weakness being a tendency to overlook the smaller details within the bigger picture, the Fantastic Four leader proved in his debut that he has what it takes to deal with a dangerous threat, and he will do everything in his power to map out a plan that leads to success. If anything, this is crucial in rivaling the expected genius-level intellect of Doctor Doom in Doomsday.
