‘Ironheart’ Producers: “The Story Is Not About Passing the Iron Man Mantle”

Marvel fans have been eagerly waiting for the first trailer for Ironheart, but instead, Marvel Studios has surprised everyone by releasing a behind-the-scenes featurette for the new Disney+ series. Don’t worry, though, the full trailer is set to drop today!

This featurette includes plenty of new footage and interviews with key people involved in the show, including star Dominique Thorne, Marvel’s Head of Streaming Brad Winderbaum, and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler. Coogler previously introduced Riri Williams (Ironheart) in his 2022 film, Wakanda Forever.

The producers of Ironheart have made it clear that the series is not about passing on Iron Man’s mantle. Instead, it’s about Riri Williams proving herself and building her own legacy. They stated:

“The story of Ironheart is not a story about the mantle of Iron Man getting passed. If anything, it’s the opposite. It’s really about her proving herself and achieving her own legacy.”

After wrapping up the series, Dominique Thorne shared a special moment with Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man in the MCU. Thorne revealed:

“Robert Downey Jr and I spoke just after we wrapped, 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.”

Unlike Tony Stark, who built his first suit using scraps in a cave, Riri’s journey is a lot more resourceful and gritty. Thorne described the difference:

“She’s dumpster-diving, whereas Tony Stark [was] this bajillionaire. What she’s able to accomplish is remarkable.”

In the comics, Tony Stark serves as a mentor to Riri, but since Stark died in Avengers: Endgame, this dynamic is unlikely in the series. However, Ironheart is still expected to carry on Iron Man’s legacy in some way.

Fans will also get to see a practical suit in the show, similar to what was used in the first Iron Man film. Winderbaum confirmed:

“There’s a full practical suit. It doesn’t obviously do all the crazy things that the suit does, but we used a lot of techniques that go all the way back to the first Iron Man film, where we actually had a practical suit on set.”

Riri is expected to wear a few different suits throughout the series, but the prototype suit seen in the promotional images will likely appear the most.

The series stars Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, with Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Regan Aliyah, Alden Ehrenreich, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White also appearing.

Ironheart is set to premiere on June 24, with the first three episodes available on release day. Fans are looking forward to seeing how Riri Williams brings a new kind of hero to the Marvel Cinematic Universe!

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