Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is almost here and with it, the film brings along a legacy-venerating sequel, Ironheart, starring Dominique Thorne. Chronologically set to occur as a direct consequence of the events of Black Panther 2, the Ironheart series will trace the evolution of Riri Williams and her journey to becoming a superhero. However, the path that leads her there is more than simply a 2-step process, and traces of the showdown at Wakanda will reflect upon her becoming Ironheart in the eponymous Disney+ series.
Ironheart Deals With the Repercussions of Black Panther 2
Originally in the MCU timeline, a solo Riri Williams story was nowhere to be seen until Dominique Thorne stepped into the role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The narrative arc of the character was not merely in need of exploration but also had enough depth to it to bring about the iconic iron suits to Marvel without making it seem like an imposition. Producer Nate Moore further elaborated on how Ironheart’s narrative came to be and how the Disney+ sequel fits into the chronology.
“That show is an outgrowth of how much we liked her in this movie and even on the page. So, when we talked with [Dominique Thorne] initially, obviously the character had been written to the script and she was the one and only person we talked about for the role. When she said yes and we were down the road with the script, we also started talking with [Ryan Coogler] about what the show could be.
So, the show is a direct sequel to the movie, and [Riri Williams] is carrying the experiences she had in this movie back home to MIT. And there are some interesting repercussions to her adventures that will set her on a fun course.”
Even though Ironheart is intended to call back on the enduring legacy of Robert Downey Jr.‘s Tony Stark, the representation of the superhero that Dominique Thorne plans to bring to the screen is necessary for its own reasons. With so many of the original legacies being a thing of the past, Marvel needs to reel in its new generation as has been demonstrated by much of Phase 4 projects.
Ironheart Series Plot Details, Cast, and Release Date
The character first created in 2016 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato, Ironheart is rooted in the world of technology. A student of MIT, Riri Williams takes the first formative step toward her destiny when she builds a prototype armor similar to the Iron Man suit from scraps collected from campus. In her Marvel comics origin, Ironheart was endorsed by Tony Stark himself, which unfortunately due to the chronology of the mainstream timeline will remain an unfulfilled arc.
At the 2022 D23 Expo, Kevin Feige revealed that Ironheart will go up against Parker Robbins aka The Hood in her debut run in the MCU. Speaking of the plot and the dichotomous clash of the magical and the technological, Feige claimed:
“What’s great is that the character, [The Hood], from the comics, he deals in the dark arts. He deals in magic. Riri is a technologist. We’ve had technological heroes and villains. We’ve had supernatural people dealing with magic. We’ve never had the two at the same time, so seeing Riri go up against [The Hood] in a way, that is very unique is what I think I’m most excited for.”
Anthony Ramos of Broadway’s Hamilton fame has joined the Marvel cast as the mystical villain. Ironheart has already wrapped up filming and is set to premiere on Disney+ in the Fall of 2023. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will premiere on November 11, 2022.
Source: CinemaBlend
