Does the MCU Already Have Replacement Characters for All 6 Original Avengers?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe — following Avengers: Endgame — will enter new territories, with new characters coming front and center. Both Captain America and Iron Man bid the franchise farewell in the final Phase 3 mash-up, and it looks like multiple original Avengers have narrative denouements on the horizon. So, do those behind the MCU flicks already have characters in place to carry the torch following the original six saviors? 

1. Sam Wilson’s Captain America to take over for Steve Rogers 

As for the most obvious replacement — and the one set into motion at the end of Phase 3 — Sam Wilson will take over for Steve Rogers. Wilson’s Falcon will be the next to wield the shield as Captain America in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Rogers handed his trusted confidante his most identifying piece of weaponry to indicate what’s on the horizon. 

2. Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor will likely step in for the existing God of Thunder 

Thor: Love and Thunder will reintroduce Jane Foster; however, this time around, she will be swinging around Mjolnir. Jane Foster will become Mighty Thor in the upcoming God of Thunder installment, which is bound to set up a narrative exit for Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, who has been with the franchise since the early days. 

3. She-Hulk to step up to the plate as the Next Jade Giant in the MCU 

With a She-Hulk series on the horizon, it’s only a matter of time until MCU fans receive a full-on A-Force movie, featuring a set of all-female Avengers. Hopefully, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) will be the one to introduce his cousin (Jennifer Walters) to the existing saviors down the line. Bruce deserves a little more purpose in the saga’s neverending narrative expansion. If he’s the one to transform his cousin into a Jade Giant (as is the case in the comics), she could go on to fight the baddies, while he focuses on scientific advancements behind-the-scenes. 

4. Kate Bishop seems destined to replace Clint Barton’s Hawkeye 

The upcoming Disney+ show Hawkeye will feature both Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. Barton will likely train Bishop in the TV series, leaving the character to join future Avengers movies afterward. Hawkeye will likely dive into Barton’s past, providing some necessary character exploration — that went undefined in multiple MCU movies — before he exits the landscape. 

5. Yelena Belova could become the next Black Widow 

The upcoming Black Widow prequel will introduce Yelena Belova, who is another Black Widow in the comics. Thus, while the movie is a prequel, it’s likely that Kevin Feige and Co. have devised a way for it to impact the current timeline. The film will presumably create a way for a new Black Widow — with a new agenda and a new life outlook — to emerge in Scarlett Johansson’s place. 

6. Will Harley Keener become Iron Lad? 

Iron Man remains one of the only original Avengers whose replacement is not utterly obvious. Yet, many have jumped to the conclusion that Harley Keener — the boy who loved technology in Iron Man 3 — will become Iron Lad. After seeing the boy at Stark’s funeral, many felt that such a decision — only seconds long — served to indicate a much larger future presence for the character. Could be become part of the Young Avengers?