Marvel to recast X-Men, Tony Stark after ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

Marvel Studios is preparing to introduce a new era of superheroes following the release of "Avengers: Secret Wars" in 2027, including fresh faces for iconic roles such as the X-Men and Tony Stark.

In a recent press interaction, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that the upcoming "X-Men" film, to be helmed by "Thunderbolts*" director Jake Schreier, will feature an all-new cast. This includes both recast roles of characters previously seen in the franchise and the introduction of new mutants to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Before this transition, many original stars from the earlier "X-Men" films are set to reprise their roles in the 2026 release "Avengers: Doomsday", including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Kelsey Grammer. Stewart previously appeared as Professor X in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (2022), while Grammer made a cameo as Beast in a post-credits scene in "The Marvels" (2023).

Feige explained that the shift mirrors Marvel Comics' 2015 "Secret Wars" arc, which blended multiple timelines into one, allowing for fresh narrative possibilities. "'Endgame' was about conclusions. 'Secret Wars' is about new beginnings," Feige said.

However, he was quick to distance the move from being labelled a "reboot". Instead, he termed it a "reset" of the franchise's timeline. "Reboot is a scary word. Reset, singular timeline — we're thinking along those lines," he stated, adding that this transition will be prominently reflected in "X-Men".

Feige highlighted the youthful and outsider themes central to the X-Men universe. "It's a space to tell stories about young people who feel different, who feel like they don't belong. That's the universal story of mutants, and that's where we're headed," he said.

The studio head also hinted at future recasts of other major MCU figures, including Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Drawing parallels to long-running franchises such as James Bond and Superman, he said, "That will always be the case," noting that new talent like David Corenswet — recently cast as Superman — exemplifies this ongoing cycle of reinvention.

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While acknowledging the challenge of replacing actors like Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans, Feige remarked, "It's hard when someone has played a role so well. But people once asked how they'd replace Sean Connery as James Bond."

Regarding the possibility of future appearances from legacy stars such as Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, Feige remained non-committal. "I think there is more fun to be had with both of those characters," he said, in reference to their pairing in "Deadpool & Wolverine" (2024), "but we'll see where."