Disney+’s “Ironheart” Stars a New MCU Woman Who’s Kicking Ass

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 armour since Iron Man.”

If you’re unfamiliar with the “Ironheart” comics, here’s what you should know about Riri’s background: First off, Riri, is named after her late father, who died shortly before she was born. She grows up in Chicago with her mother and stepfather and begins to develop a love of technology as a young girl. Instead of playing with toys and watching TV like other kids, Riri spends her childhood building advanced machines. She’s labelled a kid genius, and by the time she’s 11, Riri becomes a student at MIT, where she gathers materials around campus to build an Iron Man suit of her own. Sounds impressive, right?

After using her new armour to capture a group of escaped prisoners across the country, Riri receives a surprise visit from Tony Stark, who expresses his support for her dream of becoming a superhero. Considering the “Ironheart” comics are about Riri’s journey as the titular hero, it’s likely the Disney+ series will follow a similar premise.

Dominique Thorne will be taking on the role of Riri in “Ironheart.” The actress 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.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Anthony Ramos, who you may recognise from the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” as well as films like “A Star Is Born” and “In The Heights,” will also star in “Ironheart,” although his role is being kept a secret for now (more on that later).

On Feb. 25, the publication also reported “This Is Us” star Lyric Ross has been cast in the show as Riri’s best friend. The name of her character wasn’t revealed, but it’s possible she could be playing Natalie Washington, who is Riri’s childhood friend in the “Ironheart” comics.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, sources are saying Ramos will be portraying the show’s main villain. His character has been compared to Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror because not only is he rumoured to have a big role in the series, but in future Marvel projects as well.

“Ironheart” doesn’t have an official release date, but considering so many Marvel projects have already been confirmed to release in 2022, like “Moon Knight,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and “Thor: Love and Thunder,” it’s likely the series won’t premiere until 2023 at the earliest.

Though fans may be waiting a while to see “Ironheart,” they can meet Riri for the first time when “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” hits theatre this November.