Marvel Studios Just Combined Iron Man & Doctor Strange For Their Next MCU Hero

Marvel Studios is combining the powers of two of its most iconic heroes into one with the release of its next Disney+ show. Ironheart takes Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) from the Kingdom of Wakanda back to the streets of Chicago, where the genius inventor attempts to build something "iconic." Inspired by the success of Iron Man, Williams built an iron suit of her own in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, her tech will get an upgrade in Ironheart when she meets the mysterious Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), aka The Hood.

The latest trailer for Ironheart teases a suit upgrade for Riri that combines the powers of two MCU heroes. A central theme in Ironheart is exploring the intersection of magic and technology, and according to the new footage, Riri's suit will have both. 

During the trailer, Riri says, "If I'm gonna protect people, I've got to start thinking outside the box." This out-of-the-box thinking seems to lead Riri to investigate the forces of magic as she's shown experimenting with mystical spells and symbols.

The result is a tangible red magic akin to the sorcery that Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) wields in the MCU. This suggests that Riri will become familiar with the use of Eldritch spells during Ironheart and may be taught this by The Hood, another magic-wielder in the MCU.

Riri has already proved herself capable of building an armored suit that rivals that of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), but infusing this tech-heavy design with magical powers would be a first for the MCU. This would give Riri the combined powers of two of the MCU's strongest heroes: Iron Man and Doctor Strange. 

The trailer shows that the magic will be built into the heart of the suit, with the UI inside the suit's helmet using magic sigils as part of its console. Integrating Eldritch magic into the technology of the Iron Suit helps to differentiate Riri from Iron Man.

After Ironheart's first trailer, some fans were skeptical that Riri's attempt to build something "new" would result in just another iteration of the Iron Man suit. However, combining the forces of magic and technology into her invention helps Riri stand out and establishes her not as an Iron Man clone, but a real force to be reckoned with in the MCU.

Ironheart is the final Phase 5 MCU TV series, and three of its six episodes will be released on Disney+ on June 24. The series is created by Chinaka Hodge, and Black Panther's Ryan Coogler will serve as a producer. The cast includes Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Alden Ehrenreich, and Lyric Ross. 

The new official trailer for Ironheart can be seen below:

Will Ironheart Crossover with Doctor Strange?

The introduction of magic in Ironheart is one of the few times Eldritch magic has been seen outside of Doctor Strange's appearances in the MCU. However, if the MCU show follows the origins of its comic characters, then the link makes sense.

In Marvel Comics, The Hood gains his powers after stealing an accursed hood that grants him supernatural abilities, but comes with the unintended trade-off that he is a vessel and servant of Dormammu, the lord of the Dark Dimension. Dormammu was the main antagonist in the first Doctor Strange film, whom the sorcerer outsmarted by trapping the being in a time loop. Eventually, the two agreed that Dormammu would depart Earth in exchange for being released from the time loop.

Ironheart may offer Dormammu a way back into the MCU narrative. If Dormammu chooses to operate through Parker Robbins, this may grant the dark lord a loophole in his and Strange's agreement, allowing him to continue to enact his plans on Earth. 

It seems plausible that Riri's magic experimentation or Dormammu's potential return would capture the attention of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, which could invite a cameo from someone like Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme.