Avengers: Infinity War appears poised to be the swan song for several characters audiences have grown to know over the last ten years, and it's possible that Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man will be one of them. With recent rumors swirling around the actor hanging up the armor after this and Avengers 4, co-director Joe Russo recently discussed the possibility of Downey's possible exit, and how it will play out.

"There is nobody who can take over Iron Man from Robert," Russo told HinduStan Times. While Downey himself hasn't said anything about leaving, the director just doesn't think that fans would accept it, even while also acknowledging "it will happen at some point in time. He can't play the character forever... We'll just see where it goes from here."

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If and when Downey leaves the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's not as though the studio has no other options for an armored replacement.In addition to the already-existing War Machine, the Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Deodato created the teen superhero Riri Williams -- known as Ironheart -- back in 2016 for the comics. Following Tony's coma in the events of Civil War II, she took over as an iron warrior in her own solo book and has worked with the teen superhero group the Champions as well as the Avengers. She's yet to make an appearance in the MCU, though much like with Kamala Khan or Miles Morales, it's likely only a matter of time.

Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infinity War stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Tom Hiddleston and Josh Brolin, among others. The film hits theaters April 27.