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Robert Downey Jr. may be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villainous Doctor Doom, but it’s impossible to imagine he could possibly outshine the impact he had on the narrative as Tony Stark/Iron Man.
Dominique Thorne has probably felt like she had some pretty big shoes to fill as Riri Williams, aka Iron Man’s successor Ironheart. Thankfully, according to a recent interview with Thorne, she’s got Iron Man’s blessing.
Read More: Marvel’s Ironheart – Everything We Know So Far
Speaking to Empire, Thorne said, “Robert Downey Jr and I spoke just after we wrapped [‘Ironheart’], and he shared some very lovely words about my journey. He told me how excited he was and that he’s rooting for it, too. I literally got two thumbs up. It’s really reassuring to know you’re not embarrassing Iron Man.”
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame
Disney
Thorne made her debut as Riri Williams in 2022’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and she’ll soon be headlining her own series, “Ironheart,” on Disney+.
Along with the quotes from Thorne, Empire shared a new look at her as Ironheart. You can see the image below.
While Williams may be Tony Stark’s successor, there are some big differences between them. For example, Riri Williams doesn’t have the resources Stark had. “She’s dumpster-diving, whereas Tony Stark [was] this bajillionaire,” Thorne said. “What she’s able to accomplish is remarkable.”
Another big difference between the two is who and what they confront. One thing Tony Stark never had to really deal with is magic, while that’s exactly what Riri has to contend with in “Ironheart”.
Taking place after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, “Ironheart” finds its hero returning home and battling a villain known as The Hood (Anthony Ramos) with mystic powers. Riri will have to answer a question Tony never had to deal with: how can you use technology to combat magic?
It’s been 6 years since Tony Stark sacrificed himself to save the world in “Avengers: Endgame,” and the next time we see Robert Downey Jr. in a Marvel feature, it won’t be as Stark, but as Doctor Doom. The star will be the villain of next year’s “Avengers: Doomsday”, and according to the cast list, he will be facing off against a whole lot of Marvel heroes.
“Ironheart” debuts on Disney+ on June 24, 2025.
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“}]] Robert Downey Jr. gave his blessing to the Marvel hero replacing him. Read More