Robert Downey Jr.'s Marvel Studios tenure has ended, but the Iron Man legacy lives on. The essence of Tony Stark was felt throughout the Infinity Saga's closing chapter, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and will be a catalyst for two upcoming Disney+ projects. Don Cheadle's Armor Wars will explore what happens when Stark tech gets in the wrong hands, while Dominique Thorne's Ironheart will follow the heir to the founding Avenger.
Details surrounding Ironheart still remain close to the vest, but the series is gearing up for a spring shoot in Atlanta, GA. The project has also acquired the talents of Hamilton star Anthony Ramos and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler for on-screen and behind-the-camera roles, respectively.
While this series wouldn't be the first time a new hero assumes an iconic mantle, Ironheart is still poised to make progressive strides inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ironheart Seeks Transgender Actor
Marvel Studios is in the fast lane on Ironheart production.
According to POC Culture, Marvel is currently casting for a "Black, Latina or Afro-Latina transgender character" to star in the upcoming Riri Williams solo series. The character is listed as being "portrayed as she/her" and in the "18-22 years old" range.
No names are associated with this mystery character, but the casting description paints her as "confident" and "unapologetically nerdy."
"The character will be smart, confident and with a mystical bent and unique sense of humor. She’s also described as unapologetically nerdy about things that excite her…even if they might be terrifying to others."
This would be the second transgender actor in the MCU. Zack Barack, an openly trans actor, featured in Spider-Man: Far From Home as Midtown High School student Zach.
Riri Williams' Social Circle Grows
While the casting call does not point to any specific character from Marvel Comics, this mystery role looks poised to be an acquaintance of leading star Dominique Thorne.
Thorne herself is 24 years old, and will be a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when she makes her MCU debut in November's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. On the page, Williams begins college at the age of 15, as her genius-level intellect skyrockets her above her peers. The casting description outlines "the character" as being in the college age range of "18-22 years old," indicating this is not a scenario of Marvel Studios seeking an older actor to portray a younger role.
With that in mind, this character could end up being either an ally or rival to Thorne's Riri. It's evident that this person is completely comfortable in her own skin, and seeing a young genius like Riri making strides could lead to some friendly competition. At the same time, this character could take a shy Riri under her wing and help her navigate the intimidating walkways of MIT's campus.
Regardless of where this character goes, she'll have no shortage of "unapolegetically nerdy" friends in the MCU.
Ironheart is rumored to begin filming next month.
MCU Writer, Editor, Podcaster
