Robert Downey Jr. has played the role of Iron Man in the MCU for so long that it would be more apt to say he has inhabited the role of Tony Stark. and to such an extent that his name and Iron Man have become synonymous. Starting off with 2008’s Iron Man, which marked the beginning and the birth of the MCU, he has influenced the events of the universe with his one-of-a-kind intellect and out-of-the-box creativity. Toward the end of Avengers: Endgame, we bid farewell to the superhero who was the grounding rod for Marvel Studios’ success.
After his death, many tried to uphold the legacy of the charismatic billionaire and the actor who played the role of Tony Stark, and now, we have a clear winner among them.
With the introduction of Riri Williams as Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we see the future in Dominique Thorne, and thus, Robert Downey Jr. gave her a message to take this legacy of Iron Man to even greater heights.
Robert Downey Jr. Has A Message For Dominique Thorne
For more than a decade at this point, Robert Downey Jr. helmed the role of the genius, playboy, and philanthropist Tony Stark. For years, he had been working behind the shadows to bring together the Avengers into the MCU, and he has been the one to take on any foe that threatened to lay even a finger on planet Earth. But after his heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame and Peter Parker’s erased existence from the minds of everyone, it was a daunting question of who would be the successor to Iron Man.
But at last, we have the answer to that question. In the recently released Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we were introduced to Riri Williams, who donned the never-before-seen Iron Man armor and arrived to help the Wakandans under the name of Ironheart. As soon as fans saw Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams in the film, they instantly knew that she was the one who would carry the torch that Iron Man passed on. In an interview, she revealed that RDJ gave the advice that helped her shape the character of Riri Williams, which was:
“He had some beautiful words to say about how much he believes that Riri Williams is and should always be her own person, her own thing.”
This advice was the thing that helped Thorne to portray Riri Williams in such a way that she would show some familiar traits to Stark, but at the same time, be a completely different person who was inspired by the great Iron Man and mold her Ironheart to resemble the icon of heroism.
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What’s Next For Ironheart?
After her short yet strong debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we were convinced that she is here to stay. With the confirmation that Ironheart will be the upcoming series by Marvel Studios on its Disney+ OTT platform, fans can’t wait to see Riri Williams carry Tony Stark’s legacy forward. As for the details, it has been rumored that the series will follow the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and show how Williams adapts to her newfound confidence as the successor of Iron Man.
You may also like: “This will set Riri Williams on a fun course”: Marvel Boss Confirms Ironheart Will Be a Sequel to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Ironheart, arriving on Disney+ in late 2023
Source: Giant Freaking Robot
