The MCU has come a long way since Iron Man lit the flame in 2008, but even 18 years later, Robert Downey Jr.'s hero still has a lasting impact on Marvel Studios. In fact, several of the MCU's 2026 releases wouldn't even exist if it weren't for Iron Man, proving just how reliant Marvel Studios still is on its first Avenger.
Marvel's 2026 slate takes the MCU towards the tail end of Phase 6 and the end of the Multiverse Saga. It's a saga in which Iron Man has been notably absent since his heroic sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame, but that hasn't stopped the influence of the helmeted hero from being felt.
That's not to say that all of Marvel's present-day projects are reliant on Downey Jr.'s character. For example, the MCU is forging ahead with continuations of Marvel's Netflix shows on Disney+, including Daredevil: Born Again and the upcoming Punisher Special, neither of which relies on Iron Man. However, a surprising number of the studio's upcoming projects connect back to Iron Man in some way.
These 2026 MCU Films & Series Are Built Upon Iron Man's Legacy
Wonder Man
The latest Disney+ show from the MCU is Wonder Man, a lighthearted super-powered comedy starring Yahya Abdul-Matteen II as Simon Williams - an up-and-coming actor hiding his superhero secret. Starring alongside Abdul-Matteen II is Sir Ben Kingsley, who plays the MCU's notable in-universe actor, Trevor Slattery.
Kingsley was first cast in Iron Man 3, starring as the terrorist known as the Mandarin. The Mandarin had a personal vendetta against Tony Stark for disrupting his group, the Ten Rings, and his plans in the first Iron Man film. Stark pursued him only to learn Slattery was just an actor, standing in for the real Mandarin (who would be revealed years later in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
Without Slattery's introduction in Iron Man 3, Wonder Man wouldn't be the show it is today.
VisionQuest
The follow-up to WandaVision and Agatha All Along, VisionQuest will complete the trilogy when it drops on Disney+ later this year and reveals what Paul Bettany's Vision went off to do after his departure in the WandaVision finale.
Bettany was one of the original MCU cast members, first appearing as the voice of the AI JARVIS in Iron Man, before he evolved into his own real-life character thanks to the Mind Stone in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
VisionQuest plans to bring back several of Tony Stark's AI systems, including Ultron, FRIDAY, and EDITH, meaning much of the show wouldn't exist without the inventions of Robert Downey Jr.'s character in the Iron Man and Avengers films.
Avengers: Doomsday
While Avengers: Doomsday doesn't stem directly from Iron Man, it does hinge hugely on the return of its star, Robert Downey Jr.
Fans were shocked to learn RDJ would be returning to the MCU after seemingly closing the door on his role in Avengers: Endgame. However, Marvel found a clever way to bring the star back, this time as the villain: Victor von Doom. Thanks to the magic of the Marvel Multiverse, Downey Jr. is able to play two different characters in the same cinematic universe.
It's very likely that Victor von Doom's likeness to Tony Stark will not go unnoticed by his old teammates in Avengers: Doomsday, and the many years RDJ spent as his old character will only serve to make his return as a villain that much more powerful. If nothing else, the audience is very familiar with RDJ's old role and is eager to see what he does with his new role.
While, of course, Marvel Studios could have cast a new actor as Doctor Doom, bringing back a legacy star (or two) in Avengers: Doomsday provides built-in nostalgia for fans missing the Infinity Saga days, and allows for the face of the MCU to return, with a twist.
