Dominique Thorne made her big debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starring in 2022’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” in which she portrays a brilliant teenage inventor named Riri Williams. The 25-year-old actor is expected to continue Riri’s story in her own standalone Disney+ series, “Ironheart,” though it’ll be awhile before it arrives due to changes in Marvel’s TV calendar. However, there’s still much to look forward to!
Thorne’s Riri, in the comics, is raised by her mother and stepfather in Chicago and then goes on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. One day, she ends up building her own version of the Iron Man suit in her dorm, which, in the comics, catches the attention of Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, himself. After receiving his support, Riri adopts the superhero identity Ironheart.
Her backstory will definitely shift a little for the MCU, however, Thorne told Entertainment Weekly in an October 2022 interview that the best thing about her character is that she’s “fully herself.” “She’s definitely not the typical or traditional superhero,” she explained. “She’s very much Riri Williams, the 19-year-old student first, and then there’s this whole Ironheart business that she has to figure out.”
If you’re a diehard Marvel fan who can’t wait to follow Riri’s superhero journey or a viewer who’s fallen for the character thanks to “Wakanda Forever,” here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming “Ironheart” series.
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Disney / Marvel Studios
"Ironheart" Plot
Disney hasn’t shared many details about the series’ plot other than that it will follow “a genius inventor” named Riri who creates “the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.” The plot of her eponymous series will probably follow from the plot of “Wakanda Forever,” but we know it’ll focus on Riri at MIT, where she tries to balance being a hero with her demanding studies.
MCU fans will remember that there are two characters we already know and love who canonically attend MIT – MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), who are accepted at the end of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” It’s possible they could impact the plot, though Disney hasn’t confirmed they’ll appear alongside their classmate.
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"Ironheart" Cast
Thorne will be taking on the role of Riri in “Ironheart.” The actor made her movie debut in the 2018 film “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which is based on James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name, and then went on to star in the 2021 film “Judas and the Black Messiah” alongside “Get Out” and “Black Panther” star Daniel Kaluuya before appearing in “Wakanda Forever.”
Starring alongside Williams is “In the Heights” star Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins, aka The Hood. While Riri’s powers are all scientific, Parker taps into the dark arts and magic. At the start of the series, the two are friends.
Jim Rash will be reprising his role as the dean of MIT, which he first portrayed in “Captain America: Civil War.” Lyric Ross will play Riri’s best friend. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Shea Couleé has been cast in an undisclosed role. The ensemble also includes Harper Anthony, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Regan Aliyah, Shakira Barrera, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.
Getty / Karwai Tang
"Ironheart" Villian
Ramos’s Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, is the series’s villain. It’s not exactly clear yet how his character will relate to Ironheart, though. The Hood first appeared in comics in 2002. In the comics, he was raised in New York City, and his father worked closely with local supervillain Kingpin. After his father’s death, Parker turns to crime to support himself and his mother. Eventually, he kills a demon and steals its cloak and boots, giving him powers of his own that let him take his heists up several notches. He eventually forms a crime syndicate that all answer to him.
The Hood has fought Iron Man many times in the comics, but rarely Ironheart. And it seems in the show that the pair will start out as friends. It’ll be exciting to see how the character’s story is remixed and adapted.
Everett Collection / Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
"Ironheart" Release Date
“Ironheart” was originally set to be released this fall, but the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have impacted Marvel’s updated calendar, which the show is no longer listed on, per The Hollywood Reporter. According to the outlet, the series wrapped filming but post-production has been affected by the strikes.
