Marvel Confirms Tony Stark's Connection to Ironheart

Ironheart’s connection to Tony Stark in the MCU has been confirmed by Marvel.

Riri Williams (aka Ironheart) was introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The genius teenager quickly crossed paths with both Wakanda and Talokan. In the comics, the character builds her own Iron Man suits, inspired by Tony Stark. However, Dominique Thorne’s MCU character never interacted with Robert Downey Jr.’s Avenger.

Marvel Confirms Ironheart’s Inspiration from Iron Man

A new book, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – The Art of the Movie, confirms what audiences already suspected about Riri William’s (aka, Ironheart) connection to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark.

Visual Development Concept Illustrator Josh Nizzi explains that “Riri is obviously aware of his work,” and her suit designs show “a level of influence.”

“Riri is obviously aware of Tony Stark’s work… She’s got an RT, which is Stark-like technology, but it’s her own version. So the design shows that there’s a level of influence, but she’s doing things her own way.“

Nizzi says he incorporated a lot of Riri’s personality into the suit design.

“We talked a lot about her personality and her qualities, so I tried to put a lot of that stuff into the suit… She was described as kind of a young, sassy gamer tech nerd, but really concerned about safety, and incorporating hip-hop culture somewhat. She is also studying robotics, so l used some of the current-day robotic stuff, like the joystick. And, because of her interest in classic cars, there are some roll cage elements in the harness and the racing buckle that’s around her.“

Her initial suit included items that suggested Riri “uses what’s around her” while “echo[ing] her emphasis on safety.”

“So I was pulling parts from cars and robotics, while the guard over her head is from a pull-down bar on a roller coaster—this shows that she uses what’s around her, but also echoes her emphasis on safety. One of the things I was very happy with on this one was the heat shields on her legs—that crinkly material on her calves.! think it looks cool but has that Tony Stark-inspired, homemade feel. Very functional.”

The concept art book also includes several unique designs for Ironheart’s suit that never made it into the movie.

The Important Influence Tony Stark Had on Riri Williams

At the end of the day, Riri Williams does not need to have known Tony Stark personally—after all, she did not in the original comics either. It is neat enough the MCU is such an expansive continuity that over more than a decade of storytelling, audiences can see this new hero come into the spotlight thanks to the incredible impact Tony Stark, and his Iron Man persona, made on the world as a whole.

Many, however, would still love to see Riri get some version of the Tony Stark AI that she has in the comics. Perhaps Armor Wars could be the project to introduce that concept into the MCU.

Ironheart’s Future

While many of the amazing suit designs from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever concept art didn’t make the final cut, they offer exciting clues about what to expect in the upcoming Ironheart series. Here’s a deeper dive:

Suit Evolution: The concept art showcases a range of Ironheart suits, hinting at Riri Williams’ technological growth throughout the series. We see a potentially earlier, red and silver armor (unclear if Mark I or Mark II) that might represent her initial creation. The final red suit in the film could be a Mark III, with further advancements likely to come in her solo series.
Comic Book Inspiration: The pink suit in the concept art is particularly exciting for fans. It closely resembles Riri’s iconic costume from the comics, suggesting the series might embrace a more comic-faithful aesthetic. This could be a nod to her origin story and character development.
Advanced Technology: The concept art shows a thin Mark II with two glowing hearts. This could hint at more sophisticated technology being incorporated into her suit as the series progresses. Perhaps Riri acquires new resources or collaborates with other geniuses, allowing her to enhance her armor’s capabilities.
Armor Variety: The concept art displays a variety of color schemes and design elements. This might foreshadow Riri experimenting with different suit functionalities or specializations for various situations. It could also be a visual representation of her tinkering and customization process.
Reshoots and Release Date: With the series expected to undergo reshoots in 2024, the final look of the suits and the overall narrative might differ slightly. The original release date planned for late 2023 has been pushed back to September 2025.