Ironheart is among the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes to adopt the mantle of an established Marvel character. She is following in the footsteps of She-Hulk, Kate Bishop, and Yelena Belova.

Dominique Thorne, the actress playing Ironheart, is aware of fans’ apprehensions regarding this transition. However, after Ironheart’s complete introduction as a supporting character in Black Panther 2, Thorne noticed a change in audience attitudes towards her forthcoming solo story.

Dominique Thorne Shares Concerns About Replacing Iron Man

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Dominique Thorne, the lead actress of Ironheart, responded to fans’ worries about her character taking over the role of Iron Man from Robert Downey Jr. Thorne acknowledged that she observed fans’ reluctance and uncertainty about her character’s introduction.

However, she is pleased to note that audiences are now eagerly anticipating Riri Williams’ journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actress said:

“It feels absolutely beautiful to sit in the middle of. It feels now that people are genuinely interested in knowing more about who this Riri Williams character is. I remember when the announcement was first made that she’d be entering the MCU, there was so much hesitation and doubt and definitely some concerns about why, and what could her future in the MCU be, and now it seems that folks are very excited learn what that is. So I’m very excited to go on that journey with them.”

Robert Downey Jr. Talked To Thorne About Ironheart Replacing Iron Man

During an interview with The Direct’s Russ Milheim for Puff’s initiative at Children’s Healthcare Atlanta, Dominique Thorne discussed the advice she got from Robert Downey Jr. She said:

“He (Robert Downey Jr.) did. You know, it was actually a really great conversation. And I think the timing of it especially was what was probably the most significant. This was right at the tail-end of filming. So obviously, I’m sure, as you can imagine, it was such a whirlwind one.”

So what advice did the Iron Man star have for the young hero? Nothing apparently. Dominique Thorne says:

“So, he and I didn’t really have much chance to connect prior to, but maybe that worked out pretty well, because, actually, the first thing he said in our conversation, or toward the end of the conversation, was that he didn’t have any advice for me. And he felt like I was actually pretty okay and that I’d be all right.”

This raises the question of whether Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man will appear in Ironheart’s series. It seems unlikely, given his character’s death, and forced flashbacks may not fit well either. However, there is one possible way for him to make an appearance, namely as an AI.

It remains to be seen how or if Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark appears in the “Ironheart” show.