Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may be the final film of Marvel's Phase 4, but this powerful sequel won't just be dealing with the past but also the future. Out ahead of her 2023 Disney+ series, Marvel Comics heroine Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, is set to make her live-action MCU debut as Ironheart in the anticipated November film. But as fans await her big screen introduction, Thorne is busy filming her character's solo story, which is expected to release in late 2023.
Much like the comics, Thorne's Riri Williams is a young genius who builds her own Iron Man-esque suit. While the trailer for Black Panther 2 showed her working with fellow genius Shuri, her own series is expected to explore her own backstory and challenges.
One of those challenges is expected to be In The Heights' Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins or The Hood. Other members of the cast consist of Alden Ehrenreich, Shea Coulee, Manny Montana, and more.
As filming for Ironheart continues, Marvel Studios has gone to great lengths to prevent spoilers. But despite their efforts, a few on-set photos have leaked offering fans an idea of what Riri Williams' Ironheart suit will look like.
New On-Set Photos Reveal MCU's Ironheart Suit
New photos from the Atlanta set of Marvel Studios' Ironheart have offered first looks at Riri William's Ironheart suit.
The first photo shows Dominque Thorne as Riri Williams in her partial Ironheart costume.
BREAKING: First look at Dominique Thorne in #Ironheart. pic.twitter.com/p6ftprsBxO
The second pic spotlights the heroine's Iron Man-inspired suit in full.
FULL SUIT pic.twitter.com/ITaqyXNogD
For comparison, here's a look at Riri Williams' Ironheart costume from the comics.
Speaking of which, in the comics, Riri made her suit using stolen material from MIT. But according to reports, the MCU's version of Williams has been kicked out of MIT for funding her suit by having students pay her to do their homework.
How Much Iron Man is in Ironheart?
Even though Thorne's Riri Williams is part of Wakanda Forever's ensemble, it's expected that this newly revealed prototype suit will be reserved for her Disney+ series.
Instead, a Black Panther 2 Funko Pop! suggests that audiences will get an even earlier version of her armor in the sequel and one without an Iron Man-esque helmet.
In regard to Tony Stark, this Ironheart prototype appears to be a bit more reflective of Iron Man armor than Riri's prototype from the comics, particularly in regard to its subtle splash of red.
Since the Wakanda Forever trailer has already included a tribute to Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man via Thorne's Riri Williams, the lengths at which the Disney+ series will continue to include or pay homage to Stark have been one of the series' biggest mysteries.
Hopefully, this is something fans will learn more about on Disney+ Day or during Marvel Studios' D23 panel. If not, Wakanda Forever is sure to provide some context ahead of the show's debut.
Ironheart is set to premiere on Disney+ in Fall 2023.
