In an exclusive interview with The Direct, Ironheart's star addressed the possibility of Riri Williams appearing in Avengers: Doomsday or its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars. This comes in the wake of fans theorizing that Marvel Studios will soon introduce a Young Avengers of Champions team to the MCU that would include Ironheart.
During an exclusive interview with The Direct's David Thompson, Ironheart actress Dominique Thorne was asked what the odds were that her character would appear in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars. She coyly indicated that an appearance would happen, stating that "the odds might be our favor" before leaving her answer rather open-ended:
"Oh, you know, what can I say? The odds might be in our favor. Who knows? We'll see. We'll see."
This response comes less than two weeks after a report indicated that a version of the Young Avengers, including Thorne's Riri Williams, would appear in Doomsday. If true, this would be Thorne's third MCU appearance, following her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and solo adventure in Disney+'s Ironheart, which kicks off with its first three episodes streaming on June 24, 2025.
Since joining the MCU in 2022, it's been hard for Thorne to avoid comparisons to Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, as Ironheart is the next generation of a genius hero flying around in a metal suit. When asked about those comparisons and audience members who are hesitant to join the Ironheart bandwagon, Thorne had a confident response: "Get on the bandwagon. It's here. We're here." She also added that "RDJ is here," which is a reference to a past interview of Thorne's where she revealed the long-time Iron Man actor's blessing of the new Iron-character in the MCU:
"I would say get on the bandwagon. It's here. We're here... I mean, Tony's on the bandwagon, so you know, what's the problem? RDJ is here. It's nice here. It's cute here. It's comfy here. It smells good here."
Something that may get more fans on board is that the latest Ironheart trailer teased the mixing and matching of magic and technology. The new footage shows Riri Williams combining advanced technology with what appears to be Doctor Strange-style Eldritch magic, creating a suit that blends the powers of Iron Man and the mystic arts. Thorne teased exclusively that these abilities in Ironheart "feels like new territory in terms of how tech and magic can merge, how they can work together, how they might clash:"
"I think we've got little tastes and teases of that previously. Throughout, you know, the phases that have led us here. But this, absolutely, to me, feels like new territory in terms of how tech and magic can merge, how they can work together, how they might clash."
The Disney+ trailer revealed Riri experimenting with spells and symbols, hinting at mentorship from The Hood (Anthony Ramos) and setting her apart as a unique force in the MCU. Thorne mentioned how "exciting" and "dangerous" this new metal and magic mash-up will be in the future of the MCU:
"It's fun, it's exciting, it's dangerous, it's risky. It's all the things that you might expect. So, yeah, just another reason to lean in and see where this takes us in the broader context of the MCU."
Ironheart is a six-episode Marvel Studios series, created by Chinaka Hodge and starring Thorne as the young MIT genius. Set after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the show follows Riri as she returns to Chicago and takes on her next battle, including a confrontation with the villainous Parker Robbins, aka The Hood. With a cast including Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, and Regan Aliyah, the series blends grounded coming-of-age storytelling with big-impact superhero stakes. As the final show of Phase Five, Ironheart may serve as a critical launching point for Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
Will Ironheart Appear in Avengers 5 or 6?
Dominique Thorne's exclusive comment that "the odds might be in our favor" is the clearest sign yet Ironheart could suit up for Avengers: Doomsday. With Ironheart set to premiere on Disney+ this June, Riri Williams is poised for a major step up in the MCU just as the franchise enters its next crossover era. Given her tech genius and newly built, magic-infused suit, it makes sense that she'd be part of a rising generation of heroes, likely joining forces with fellow Young Avengers like Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, Cassie Lang, and America Chavez.
Marvel Studios has been slowly assembling this next wave of talent across multiple shows and films, and Thorne's confidence adds fuel to the fire that they'll come together on the biggest stage yet. If Ironheart does appear in Doomsday, it would mark a natural continuation of her journey from student and inventor to full-fledged Avenger.
