With the MCU releasing its 27th movie with Spider-Man: No Way Home, the decade-long franchise has begun to reconfigure its universe. While Thanos just happened to snap his fingers in Avengers: Infinity War, eliminating half of all life in the galaxy, a worse scenario has fallen upon Marvel Studios and some of their actors. A few of them are leaving.

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Many fan-favorite actors signed on with the superhero conglomerate early on when the MCU was in its infant stage, accepting lucrative and rather extensive contracts. However, as of 2021, a lot of these contracts have run out and many of the original Avengers have (or will be) making their departure. Yet, it's not all bad news. While some might be disappointed that they may never see their favorite characters in action again, the MCU has quickly comforted fans by introducing a lot of other iconic and memorable characters, including Yelena Belova and Kate Bishop. Hopefully, the surprises will continue going forward.

Updated on January 19th, 2022, by Kayleigh Banks: After Avengers: Endgame forced fans to say goodbye to Tony Stark, Captain America, and Natasha Romanoff, Kevin Feige had some large holes to fill as their stories had been at the heart of the MCU for years. However, many fans will agree that he is doing a good job so far as the various Disney+ shows, such as WandaVision, Hawkeye, and Loki, have allowed fans to see characters they thought were long gone.

Since Feige has also revealed that they are no longer locking actors into contractual obligations, the MCU has even managed to draw in quite a few big names (such as Florence Pugh and Mahershala Ali). So even though fans might still be sad that some stars are departing, they may be comforted to know they may have a few more years left with some of the other actors.        

Actors Leaving The MCU

Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America)

An image of Captain America holding a shield in the MCU

Chris Evans started his MCU journey way back in 2011 with Captain America: The First Avenger. Though the film wasn’t a breakout hit, it helped establish Evans as a leading Marvel star. Even though he had already proven to be a great Marvel hero in Fox’s original Fantastic Four film, it was with Captain America that Evans left his mark in Hollywood.

Evans signed one of the longest multi-picture deals with Marvel Studios. However, in an interview with ABChe that he would be leaving “by 2019.” Although many fans hoped that Evans will reprise his role in the future, the MCU writers seem to be quite content with how they ended Steve Rogers' story.

Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man)

Iron Man with his helmet off in Avengers: Endgame

After his character's heartbreaking death in Avengers: Endgame, fans also had to say goodbye to Robert Downey Jr. after 11 years. While fans were sort of expecting it since Evans did reveal to ABC that his contract would end the following year, it still broke the fans' hearts to see him die in the Battle of Earth.

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Downey Jr.’s journey goes all the way back to the first MCU film, 2008’s Iron Man. Since then, he has become the face of Marvel and superheroes in general. While he might make cameo appearances through flashbacks or old footage, it's likely that audiences will not see Downey Jr. in the foreseeable future.

Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow)

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

Scarlett Johansson joined the MCU in 2010’s Iron Man 2 as Black Widow and since has become one of the most interesting additions in the entire franchise. Black Widow became an even better character in 2012’s The Avengers, but it was in 2021’s Black Widow that fans really saw Johansson truly shine as they finally explored Natasha's backstory.

Sadly, with Natasha sadly dying after she sacrificed herself at Vormir, Johansson did confirm in an interview with The Guardian that Black Widow would be the last time she would play Avenger. While many fans are sad to say goodbye to Natasha, at least Black Widow introduced them to some great characters.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor)

When the MCU first started, Marvel Studios needed three main heroes to helm the franchise forward. Those were Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. 2011 saw the release of Thor in theaters and the first time that audiences were mesmerized at the sight of Chris Hemsworth. The Australian actor demonstrated that he was born for the role of the God of Thunder and quickly won fans’ hearts.

In the same ABC interview, Chris Evans not only revealed that Robert Downey Jr.’s contract was up, but that Hemsworth’s contract was as well. So after Thor: Love and Thunder, it's appears that his contract will be up. However, that doesn't mean this would be the last fans will see him if Hemsworth had it his way since he revealed on The Today Show that he would gladly keep playing the God Thunder as long as the Marvel executives and fans want him to.

Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye)

Jeremy Renner had his full-fledged MCU debut in 2012’s The Avengers, but he very briefly appeared the year prior in Thor. He then went along to appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and again as part of Team Cap in Captain America: Civil War. After helping to restore the earth after Thanos' snap in Avengers: Endgame, his character, Clint Barton, has gone on to become a mentor for Kate Bishop in Hawkeye and is on the verge of retiring.

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There’s virtually no information on Renner’s Marvel contract online. Vanity Fair did report back in 2017  that his contract with the company would come to end with the fourth Avengers film but fans know that's not true since he has appeared in Hawkeye and What If...?But beyond that, there are no other projects lined up.

Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star-Lord)

Starlord No Sense Jackson

Chris Pratt has quickly become one of the best-known Marvel actors outside of the Avengers. When Guardians of the Galaxy came out in 2014, Pratt captivated audiences with his performance as Star-Lord and then again in that film’s 2017 sequel. He then reprised his role of Star-Lord in Avengers: Endgame and is set to appear in Thor: Love and Thunder as well as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Reportedly, Pratt’s last film on his Marvel contract is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, the actor has said countless times that he’s willing to renegotiate his contract in a heartbeat.

Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/The Hulk)

A collage photo of Mark Ruffalo and the Hulk from the MCU

Mark Ruffalo’s Incredible Hulk is another original Avenger who's possibly moving on from the franchise if the actor doesn’t renew his contract. The actor spoke with Collider and revealed that he signed a six-picture deal with Marvel Studios, which according to Vanity Fair, was meant to come to an end with Avengers: Endgame.

However, this wasn't completely accurate either since Ruffalo said that there were talks about him appearing in She-Hulk, but nothing else was on the table other than that (via Variety). While it has been confirmed since then that Ruffalo will be making an appearance in She-Hulk, there has still been no indication that he will get his own Hulk movie. 

Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man)

However unexpected Paul Rudd’s casting was in the MCU, fans will agree that it was definitely the right choice. Rudd is virtually synonymous with the character of Ant-Man and it would be impossible to imagine anybody else as the tiny superhero. But how many movies has he got left on his contract?

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In a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kevin Feige had revealed that Rudd had signed a “three-plus-plus” contract with Marvel Studios that started with his own film, Ant-Man. Since he has also appeared in Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Endgame, and has now finished filming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (via Marvel), it does appear as if Rudd has fulfilled his contract.

Michael Peña (Luis)

Although Pena doesn’t play a superhero, Luis from Ant-Man has become a fan-favorite all around the world, due to his lively persona and some hilarious scenes.

In an interview with Collider from 2015, the actor didn’t reveal much about his contract but did hint that it was a multi-picture deal with a minimum of three movies. So far, Peña has appeared in the original Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and will appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania in 2023 so it looks like his contract might be up (unless he and Marvel chose to renegotiate).

MCU Actors That Are Staying

Brie Larson (Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel)

After making her debut at the end of Avengers: Infinity War and becoming the MCU's first female superhero to get her own solo movie (according to Collider), Brie Larson continues to have much success as Captain Marvel.

While there hasn't been much discussion over how long Larsen has left in her contract, fans should not fear her departure just yet as they will see Larsen reprise her role as the powerful MCU hero in The Marvels (2023). With Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) also making her introduction to the MCU in the Disney+ series, Ms. Marvelthere's also a possibility that fans might see her have a prominent role there too.

Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America)

Sam Wilson wearing his Captain America Uniform

After it was revealed that Chris Evans would be departing from the company, many fans had speculated who would be taking over the Captain America moniker. With so many talented heroes, it seemed like there could be an array of characters. However, they soon got their answer when Avengers: Endgame saw Steve Rogers give the shield to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson.

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Since then, Mackie has had much success with the MCU after attaining a lead role in Falcon and the Winter SoldierAccording to Deadline, Mackie has also signed a new deal to star in Captain America 4, so fans may likely see a lot more of him in the future.

Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes)

Making his first MCU appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger, Sebastian Stan's character, Bucky, has since undergone a huge character transformation - changing from being the Winter Soldier to a redeemed hero. But is his character's journey over now?

It doesn't appear to be. Some fans might not know is that Stan had signed an astonishing nine-film contract with Marvel to play the role of the former assassin (according to The Hollywood Reporter). Since he has appeared in 5 movies in total (not counting cameos) and 1 television show, there's a possibility that he will appear in Captain America 4 as well as a few other Phase 4 projects. After all, fans might now see a friendship bloom between him and Yelena since she is the new Black Widow.

Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova)

Yelena Belova looking concerned in Black Widow

Although fans might have had to say goodbye to Natasha Romanoff's Black Widow in 2021, they were, at the same time, already introduced to her replacement - Yelena Belova. Portrayed by Florence Pugh, fans quickly fell in love with Yelena due to her dry wit and sarcastic nature.

However, although the Black Widow had plenty of hilarious moments, this wasn't the only time she shone as Yelena proved to be just as skilled and equipped in combat as her sister. With Yelena having also appeared in Hawkeye and Pugh having stated that she "hopes [her role] will be an ongoing conversation" (via ComicBook), there's a possibility she will feature in a lot more projects.

Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil)

Daredevil with his mask off looking concerned in Daredevil

After Netflix canceled Daredevil in 2018, many fans were devastated that they would have to say goodbye to Charlie Cox and the rest of the cast as many thought that they were all perfectly cast. Cox, in particular, grew to be a fan-favorite character as he managed to capture Matt Murdock's charm and complex personality very well.

However, it appears that the MCU has bigger plans for Cox's Matt Murdock as Kevin Feige announced that Cox would play the lawyer if "Daredevil was to star in upcoming things" (via CinemaBlend). Since there are an array of new characters closely tied to the superhero being introduced, Daredevil could appear in several MCU projects in the next few years.

Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man)

Tom Holland is arguably the best actor to portray Spider-Man on the big screen. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield definitely led the way, but Holland has truly captured the essence of Spider-Man. Audiences got to see how awesome Holland is as Spidey in Captain America: Civil War, but it was in Spider-Man: Homecoming that they really fell in love with the English actor.

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Sadly, some fans may be disappointed to discover that Holland's tenure as Spider-Man is coming to an end. In a recent interview, Holland announced that No Way Home would officially be his last movie as Spider-Man as his contract is running out. However, with No Way Home proving to be a huge hit with fans, Kevin Feige has announced that Spider-Man 4 is in active development (albeit in the early stages). So it might not be the last time fans see Holland just yet.

Alaqua Cox (Maya Lopez/Echo)

Alaqua Cox's Echo standing in a warehouse in Hawkeye

After having such an epic introduction to Hawkeye and great action sequences, many fans have loved Maya Lopez's character so far. Played by Alaqua Cox, Maya's character storyline has intrigued a lot of fans as it looks like her father had been murdered by a trusted family friend.

With the Leader of the Tracksuit Mafia also getting her own spin-off at some point in the future, there's a high chance that she will play a pivotal role in Phase 4 as Kevin Feige has begun introducing several characters that are closely tied to her and her storylines.

Tom Hiddleston (Loki)

Loki smiling while chained up in Thor: Ragnarok

Before Thanos, there was arguably no better villain in the MCU than Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. It took a while for Hiddleston’s character to become a fan favorite, as the God of Mischief has certainly made a lot of enemies and some grave mistakes. However, he seemed to redeem himself when he died trying to take down Thanos.

While many fans thought this would be the last they saw of him, they were more than delighted to hear that he had been rewarded his own tv series. With it having already been announced by Disney that Loki will be getting a second season, Hiddleston may be in the MCU for many more years.   

Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury is just as memorable as any of the main Avengers. What’s made him so intriguing is his capacity to be in almost every Marvel film, which was enabled by Jackson signing a nine-picture contract with Marvel Studios. He first appeared in the original Iron Man, where he first mentioned the Avengers initiative.

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Jackson has gone to appear in Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and many other projects so he has certainly fulfilled his contract. However, this isn't the last fans will see of him. Jackson is also set to appear in Disney+ Secret Invasion and will likely reappear in more projects too (even if it is a cameo).

Hailee Steinfeld (Kate Bishop)

An image of Hailee Steinfeld looking nervous as Kate Bishop in Hawkeye

While Clint Barton might be hanging his bow up and retiring for good, this won't be the last time fans will see 'Hawkeye' as Kate Bishop is about to take over the mantle. Played by Hailee Steinfeld, the actor has already got fans talking about the great chemistry she has with Pugh along with her humorous and likable personality.

Although Hawkeye has marked her MCU debut, Steinfeld did reveal in an interview with GamesRadar "is beginning in the show" - hinting that this might not be the last time she will appear on the screen.

Michael Keaton (Adrian Toomes/The Vulture)

Adrian Toomes-aka-Vulture-in-Spider-Man-Homecoming

Michael Keaton made his MCU debut in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Starring opposite Tom Holland, Keaton played the villainous Adrian Toomes (aka the Vulture). After Marvel was criticized for having forgettable villains, it seemed that Keaton had finally broken the mold, delivering one of the best supervillain performances since Hiddleston’s Loki.

After he was defeated by the end of Homecoming, it seemed like that was it for Keaton as the Vulture. However, after he appeared in the trailer for the upcoming Morbius movie, it looks like Marvel still has big plans for him (even if Keaton is unsure of what those are). 

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