The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is preparing for a major transformation.
As it moves toward a new chapter, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that key roles — including iconic characters like Iron Man and Captain America — will be recast, alongside a fresh ensemble for the studio’s first official X-Men movie.
The shift comes in the lead-up to Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for release in December 2027, which Feige described as a narrative turning point that will pave the way for Marvel’s future storytelling.
“Secret Wars is about beginnings,” he said, contrasting it with Endgame, which he called “a story of endings.”
Feige emphasized that while some familiar faces from previous X-Men films — such as Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Kelsey Grammer — will return in Avengers: Doomsday (releasing in 2026), the upcoming X-Men reboot will mark a reset in tone and cast.
Directed by Jake Schreier of Thunderbolts fame, the new X-Men film will not be a complete reboot of the MCU, Feige clarified.
Instead, he used the term “reset” to describe Marvel’s approach, suggesting a continuation of a singular timeline rather than a full overhaul. “Reboot is a scary word,” he noted.
“Reset — we’re thinking along those lines.”
Referencing other iconic franchises, Feige compared the process to the ongoing search for a new James Bond by Amazon MGM and the recent casting of David Corenswet as Superman in DC’s cinematic reboot.
“There’s always a new actor stepping into a legendary role,” he said, acknowledging the challenge of following performances like Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America.
ALSO READ: YMCR urges Arunachal Pradesh government to introduce river protection law
“Replacing an actor who’s done a phenomenal job is never easy,” Feige admitted. “People once asked how anyone could replace Sean Connery as Bond — and yet the story moves forward.”
While Downey Jr.’s Iron Man was killed off in Avengers: Endgame and Evans’ Captain America chose a quiet retirement, the characters themselves remain vital to the MCU’s evolving saga — and now, with a new generation of actors, their legacies are set to continue.
