The Marvel Cinematic Universe had to recast an actor early on, and a detail in the 2015 film *Avengers: Age of Ultron* helped make the transition easier. The movie featured the Avengers battling Ultron, a dangerous AI who believed the only way to save Earth was to eliminate humanity. Ultron came to this conclusion after analyzing all available digital information, and this analysis included a quick appearance by another character in the MCU.
As a huge Marvel fan, I always find the little details fascinating! Did you know they had a bit of a tricky situation with Howard Stark’s appearance? Several actors have played him throughout the MCU. Gerard Sanders was the first, appearing briefly in the original *Iron Man*. But John Slattery really made the role his own, becoming the most recognizable Howard in *Iron Man 2*. Then, Dominic Cooper stepped in to play a younger Howard in *Captain America: The First Avenger*, set in the 1940s. When it came to *Age of Ultron*, they actually blended the faces of both Slattery and Cooper to create a middle-aged version of Howard Stark during Ultron’s scan! It’s a super quick shot, honestly – easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. It was a clever way to visually connect the different timelines and actors portraying the same character.
It makes sense that Ultron would notice Howard Stark when reviewing Earth’s history. Stark was a brilliant scientist, inventor, and engineer who contributed to many important government projects. Early in his career, he worked on the Manhattan Project and the project that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America. Later, he helped establish SHIELD, building it from the Strategic Scientific Reserve, making him a pivotal figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios only used a de-aging trick once, bringing John Slattery back as a younger Howard Stark in *Avengers: Endgame*. This was a key moment in the film, allowing Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark to finally have a conversation with his father while retrieving the Space Stone. Slattery’s portrayal of the younger Howard Stark in *Endgame* closely resembled the brief appearance of Howard in *Age of Ultron*, likely drawing inspiration from Dominic Cooper’s previous depiction of the character.
Howard Stark recently showed up in season 3 of What If…? in 2024, with two different versions of the character. One version, inspired by the portrayal of Cooper, helped Agatha Harkness document her transformation into a Celestial. The other, based on Slattery’s version, was saved by the Red Guardian, who prevented the Winter Soldier from harming Howard’s parents. While it’s unknown if Howard Stark will appear again in the MCU, it would be great to see either John Slattery or Leslie Cooper return to the role, particularly now that Robert Downey Jr. is back.
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2025-09-26 18:37