There are multiple potential Avengers: Endgame not only wrapped up Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga, it also functioned as the swan song for some of the universe's original heroes — including Tony Stark, who sacrificed his own life to defeat Thanos (Josh Brolin). As the universe moves forward with Phase 4, fans are looking forward to who might take the character's vacated spot in the film series.
The end of the Infinity Saga also meant that Marvel Studios is set to tread unknown narrative territories moving forward. Due to the coronavirus pandemic that left Hollywood on a standstill, the MCU is taking an extended break before it kicks off Phase 4 with Cate Shortland and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow.
That said, with the franchise's slate confirmed, fans have an idea of what to expect in the foreseeable future, including Marvel Studios replacing the original six Avengers. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has officially ed the shield and the Captain America mantle to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie); Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) will be the next Thor; Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) will become the next Black Widow; and finally, She-Hulk and Kate Bishop are set to debut, taking over the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Hawkeye's (Jeremy Renner) respective spots. Iron Man, however, doesn't have a clear successor. Granted that Tony personally mentored Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), he's an entirely different character from his mentor. This doesn't mean that Marvel Studios doesn't have anyone in mind to fill the void Tony left — there are a few heroes already in the MCU that can ultimately take over his mantle in the franchise.
War Machine
James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Tony Stark's loyal friend in the military, was initially introduced in the first Iron Man in 2008, with the character portrayed by Terrence Howard. Director Jon Favreau already hinted at the arrival of his superhero counterpart, War Machine. Marvel Studios made good with that promise in 2010's Iron Man 2 when Rhodey finally got his own metal armor created by Tony Stark. However, since the role was recast with Don Cheadle, Howard was never able to become War Machine. Since then, Cheadle has played the role, reprising it five more times until Endgame.
Rhodey is one of the few people that Stark kept in his inner circle of friends. While they had differing opinions — and even butt heads at times — they remained loyal devoted pals to one another. What made Rhodey one of, if not Tony's best friend, however, is that he never shied away from calling the genius out when he's stepping over a line. In return, War Machine is the first and only hero in the MCU that Tony granted full access to his metal suit creation.
That fact that War Machine already knows how to operate a variation of the Iron Man suit, Rhodey can step up to a bigger role in the MCU and fill the void Tony left. In the comic books, he's assumed the role of Iron Man several times when Tony was indisposed. Perhaps Marvel Studios can mine narrative inspiration from their print source to give Rhodey a more prominent role in the franchise.
Iron Lad
When an older Harley Keener showed up at Iron Man's private funeral in Endgame, many were confused about his identity, not realizing that he's the kid from Iron Man 3. In the Shane Black film, Tony Stark was in one of the lowest points of his life. He was suffering from PTSD following his near-death experience during the Battle of New York and was fighting the Mandarin. He coincidentally encountered the young boy, who provided him with help, not just in of getting his wrecked Iron Man suit back up, but also in dealing with his panic attacks. Tony wasn't exactly affectionate with the kid, but he's appreciative of what he did for him in his time of need. Once the Mandarin is defeated and he was safe, he sent Harley top of the line computers and other gadgets for his own use.
Harley's appearance in Endgame may be viewed as a simple way to include everyone who played an important role in Iron Man's journey. That said, it can also be setting up the character's potentially bigger role in the MCU. There's a comic book character named Iron Lad — a teenage boy who took over the mantle of Iron Man. Granted that the character in print is named Nathaniel Richards, Marvel Studios can tweak his origin story, giving the Iron Lad persona to Harley instead. This idea fits well with the franchise already planting seeds for Young Avengers
Rescue
Starting as Tony Stark's trusted secretary in Iron Man, Pepper Potts' (Gwyneth Paltrow) relationship with her boss developed over the years. They officially became a couple in Iron Man 2, broke up on the heels of Avengers: Age of Ultron, and got engaged in Spider-Man: Far From Home. They married and had a daughter named Morgan off-screen in the five-year-time-jump in the middle of Endgame. While Tony checked out of his superhero gig during this time, he continued to tinker with his Iron Man technology, leading him to create an armor for his wife.
Like a lot of characters in the Marvel comics, Pepper also has a superhero persona: Rescue, which inspired her suit in Endgame. Rumors of Paltrow wearing her own version of the Iron Man armor began in late 2017 when the actress shared a video on her social media in which she was wearing a mo-cap suit similar to what Downey and other actors who wear CGI costumes usually don. While subsequent information came out backing up the idea, Marvel Studios kept it a secret until the movie. Pepper wasn't officially named Rescue in Endgame, but she ultimately donned the armor as she ed the film's climactic battle.
With Iron Man now gone, Pepper can continue his husband's legacy by officially becoming a superhero. Based on her outing in Endgame, it appears like she knows how to operate the armor, aware of its many features for combat. If Paltrow isn't game to play a superhero at this point, Marvel Studios can simply work their way around this by giving the mantle to their daughter, Morgan instead. The only downside to this, however, is that it will take a bit of a longer wait before fans see Rescue back in the MCU again.
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For what it's worth, there's really no rush to replace Iron Man. Marvel Studios has a lot of familiar and characters that they can focus on in the next few years. They even have the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and their tie-in characters that they've yet to incorporate in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, it might even be for the better that they hold off introducing the hero's successor considering the pressure and high expectation to find someone who can fill the massive void that the character and Downey has left in the franchise. However, if they're ever contemplating about introducing a replacement, the universe already has several candidates that can step up to the plate.
