It’s been a few years since Robert Downey Jr. closed out his stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and fans said goodbye to his version of Tony Stark. The actor has since moved onto different projects, and the biggest on his list is arguably Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which has a stacked cast. Seriously, this flick has a number of notable stars, including Alden Ehrenreich. Well, as fate would have it, the star is now set to join the MCU himself through Ironheart, and a part of me is hoping he was able to get the Iron Man vet’s digits.
Alden Ehrenreich is set to play a key role in Marvel’s Ironheart show, according to Deadline. But to no one’s surprise, the studio is keeping details on his character as close to the vest as Tony Stark kept his Iron Man technology. What can be said, though, is that this is a major gig for Ehrenreich, who’s amassed a few high-profile credits over the past several years. He’s probably most recognized for playing the lead role in Disney and Lucasfilm’s Solo: A Star Wars Story - a prequel centered on Harrison Ford’s iconic character.
Though the 32-year-old actor has experience with a major franchise, the prospect of entering the MCU has to be a bit daunting. So you have to wonder whether he and Robert Downey Jr. got on a first-name basis while working on Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film. If they did, it would certainly behove the Hail, Caesar! alum to reach out, especially since he’ll be dealing with a corner of the franchise that involves Downey's character.
We only know a few things about Marvel’s Ironheart at this point. The key fact that prospective viewers should know is that it’ll introduce the character of Riri Williams to the MCU. In the comics, Williams was established as a prodigy who creates her own version of the Iron Man suit in her college dorm room.
Dominique Thorne, of Judas and the Black Messiah fame, is set to play Riri Williams on the show, and the new Marvel hero will make her debut in Black Panther 2 beforehand. Anthony Ramos has also joined the MCU show in a key role. This series has also tapped This Is Us alum Lyric Ross, who is reportedly playing Williams’ best friend. Production on the show is reportedly underway in Atlanta, where filming is said to have kicked off in early June.
Alden Ehrenreich is certainly one of the more underrated talents in Hollywood right now, and the idea of him joining the superhero genre is very exciting. I’m optimistic that he’ll be able to get in touch with Robert Downey Jr. should he require any advice. Though if not, I’m sure the star will be able to manage things just fine on his own.
A release date has yet to be announced for Ironheart but, when it does arrive, it’ll be available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. Be sure that you have one of those and that you stay in the know when it comes to other upcoming Marvel shows.
