See First Look At Ironheart In Black Panther 2
Her new armor is here!
The untimely passing of actor Chadwick Boseman in 2020 left an empty space in many of his loyal fans’ hearts, especially for those who appreciated his entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His performance as T’Challa in various films for the MCU is the stuff of legend, particularly with the solo effort Black Panther. His absence from the upcoming sequel will be felt by many audiences around the world when it debuts in theaters later this year, but Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is shaping up to be a worthwhile addition to the MCU’s Phase Four. Now, it appears that audiences have their first look at Ironheart, who appears in Black Panther 2, via some eager shoppers posting to social media from their local Target.
According to a report by CBR, the merchandise currently available at Target for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever features the character of Ironheart as part of their display. The action figures depicted in the post to Twitter reveal a first look at characters from the sequel film, including what Riri Williams, aka Ironheart’s, armor looks like. The character will be played by actor Dominique Thorne, who co-starred with Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah. Thorne’s take on the character will then progress into a solo project series on Disney+ called Ironheart. While Ironheart will debut on the streaming service in 2023, Black Panther 2 will premiere on November 11th to help close out the MCU’s Phase Four. The other part of Phase Four that remains to be seen is James Gunn’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special now that Disney+ has revealed the first episode of the new series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, starring Tatiana Maslany.
Deadline reports that Ironheart will feature several different cast members who have joined the Disney+ series that may not be seen in Black Panther 2, including Solo: A Star Wars Story star Alden Ehrenreich. Riri Williams is a newer character from Marvel Comics who first appeared in 2016. With an appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Disney seems to be setting up the character as the main star of the eleventh original series to hit Disney+ from the MCU while keeping with the themes that Chadwick Boseman brought to assist the characters living in Wakanda.
The original Black Panther may be a challenging thing to replicate for Disney and Marvel Studios, who have had to work around Boseman’s passing in the last couple of years. Bringing new characters like Ironheart into the Black Panther 2 may distract some audiences from the emptiness felt by Boseman’s absence. Black Panther was an incredible hit for the MCU when it was initially released, grossing over $1.3 billion against a budget of $200 million. Rotten Tomatoes currently ranks the film with a Certified Fresh rating on its Tomatometer of 96% based on 529 critics’ reviews, as well as a 79% Audience Score. Hopefully, director Ryan Coogler will do Black Panther: Wakanda Forever justice by showcasing a new set of cast members alongside legacy MCU fixtures that have delighted audiences for years.
