Ironheart Star Dominique Thorne Breaks Silence on Iron Man Connection After Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Exclusive)

Like Captain America (Anthony Mackie) before her, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) is largely considered a legacy character, one that takes up the mantle of a superhero that has moved on. In this case, Williams/Ironheart fills the role of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) after the character’s sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. In the Marvel Comics source material, Ironheart and Iron Man are closely aligned, with Williams using parts from old Iron Man suits to build her own take on the armor.

While speaking with ComicBook.com, the actor says the live-action version of the character will, in fact, have some similarities with the comics version. That said, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star tells us that fans will simply have to tune into Ironheart on Disney+ next year to see the exact connection between the characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“They definitely are similar, but definitely two independent expressions of this beautiful mind,” Thorne says of the comic and live-action stortylines. “I think the answer to that is best left to the series next year, so that’s where you’ll have to come for the truthful answer to that question.”

The actor adds the motivations between Williams and Stark are similar in that they both built a suit because of the ambitious personalities.

“I do think in Riri’s creation of this suit, or pursuing a build like that, I think that there’s an inherent acknowledgment of what Tony Stark did by creating this suit of armor,” Thorne adds. “I think for someone as ambitious as Riri Williams, it’s without a doubt something that draws you in and begs your attention. As you can tell from the movie, that ambition will lead where it will lead and this time it’s led to her being in line with him by creating her very own suit of armor.”

You can see our full interview with the actor above.

When will Ironheart be released?

Thorne’s Riri Williams can first be seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when it enters theaters on November 11th. Ironheart is expected to debut on Disney+ sometime next year after Secret Invasion, Echo, and potentially Loki Season 2 barring any new delays. If you haven’t signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

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