4 Iron Man Armors That Would Have Changed the MCU (Including One They’ll Never Use)

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Robert Downey Jr. famously played Tony Stark, launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the first *Iron Man* movie in 2008 and remaining a central hero until *Avengers: Endgame* in 2019. Over those eleven years, he wore numerous Iron Man suits, but some of the most iconic armors from the Marvel comics have never appeared on screen.

As a big Iron Man fan, it’s amazing how many suits Tony Stark created in the comics that we *didn’t* see in the movies! I really think a few of them could have drastically changed things for Tony and the entire MCU. While I’m hopeful we might see some of those armors again, especially if a new actor takes on the role after *Avengers: Secret Wars* and the MCU resets, there’s one suit in particular that I just don’t think will ever make it to the screen.

4) Explorer Armor

The “Explorer Armor” is a relatively new addition to the Marvel universe, first appearing in Iron Man (Vol. 5) #25 in 2022. It was designed to keep Tony Stark alive during his search for Thor in the frozen realm of Jotunheim. This armor provided him with essential nutrients and water directly into his bloodstream, could extract nourishment from the environment, and even slightly change its shape. Most importantly, it allowed Stark to survive for over eight days in extremely cold temperatures – as low as -157°F (-105°C). In the comics, Stark obtained this armor after Mjolnir was destroyed, and it could have been incredibly useful in locating Thor between the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Infinity War.

3) Future Foundation Armor

The Future Foundation appeared in the MCU for the first time in the film *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, but hasn’t been mentioned in the main MCU timeline yet (Earth 616). In Marvel Comics’ Ultimate Universe, Tony Stark was a founding member, working with Phil Coulson and Sue Storm. He even wore a special purple Iron Man suit to match the team’s colors. With a new Tony Stark potentially joining the MCU’s Future Foundation, we might see this purple armor appear on screen in the future.

2) Iron Lantern

In the 1990s, Marvel and DC Comics teamed up to create a shared universe called Amalgam, blending characters from both companies. In this universe, Earth 9602, a hero named Iron Lantern emerged – a combination of Hal Jordan and Tony Stark. Harold Stark, the wealthy founder of Stark Aircraft, encountered an alien named Rhomann Sur during a flight simulator accident that sent him into space. Using Sur’s advanced technology, Stark built a powerful armored suit fueled by a unique, lantern-style battery, much like the energy source of a Green Lantern ring.

Now that James Gunn is in charge of DC Studios and its new universe, a crossover between Marvel and DC characters is becoming a real possibility. This could finally allow us to see an Iron Man and Green Lantern team-up on screen, potentially introducing a new actor to play Tony Stark alongside the various Green Lanterns already confirmed for the DC Universe. Actors like Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner), Kyle Chandler (Hal Jordan), and Aaron Pierre (John Stewart) might even make appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, leading to the exciting prospect of Tony Stark becoming a cosmic superhero – perhaps even dubbed ‘Iron Lantern’.

1) Celestial Hulkbuster Armor

During an alien invasion of Earth in 2021, Tony Stark cleverly used the remains of a massive Celestial being to build a device that could open wormholes and protect people from future attacks. Later, in 2022’s *Thor* comic book, when the Hulk became a huge threat, Stark rebuilt the Celestial remains into a powerful suit of armor called the Celestial Hulkbuster. Unfortunately, this armor was destroyed during battles with both the Hulk and Thor after Thor was exposed to gamma radiation. While Celestials are playing a bigger role in recent Marvel movies and shows like *Eternals* and *Captain America: Brave New World*, it’s unlikely we’ll see the Celestial Hulkbuster armor appear in a live-action film.

The Celestial Hulkbuster armor gave Tony Stark power beyond anything seen before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It massively increased his strength and resistance to damage, and also included powerful cosmic weapons. The armor could travel between planets and even absorb a little bit of gamma radiation, though not enough to survive a full-powered Hulk attack. While visually stunning and perfect for a big-screen battle, it’s hard to imagine Tony Stark actually building armor from a dead Celestial, no matter how amazing it would be.

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2025-09-15 18:17