Black Panther 2 Star Details Practical Ironheart Suit
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Dominique Thorne shares details about her entirely practical (and very heavy) first Ironheart suit. After the success of 2018’s Black Panther, director Ryan Coogler returns for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the conclusion to Phase 4 of the MCU. In addition to serving as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who tragically passed away in 2020, the sequel serves to set up several major new characters, including Thorne’s Riri Williams. Williams, a genius inventor, is slated to become Iron Man’s successor in the MCU, with the character seen in two different Ironheart suits throughout her time in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
In a recent interview with Variety, Dominique Thorne reveals that her Mark I Ironheart suit in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was built entirely practically. Williams is seen in the Mark I suit before she travels to Wakanda, with the creation featured in one of the film’s earlier action sequences. The actor reveals that despite being very heavy (a whopping 52.5 pounds!), the practical suit ultimately helped her further tap into how Riri thinks. Check out Thorne’s full comment below:
« Unlike some of the other suits that may be added in later with visual effects, the Mark I was all practical. To get to feel the weight of that on my body and just understand how it moves — you almost want to say it’s clunky, but when you have it on, you realize, ‘Oh, this is actually such a smart build, like all my joints are free so I have so much movement. But also, this is heavy as hell. And it flies? Whoa!’ The doors open wide into Riri’s mind and how she thinks, what she saw was possible and then actualized. »
What’s Next For Ironheart After Wakanda Forever?
Before Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released, it was revealed that Thorne’s character would be getting her very own show on Disney+. The series, called Ironheart, is expected to release later next year, but few details are known regarding the show’s plot. The character’s introduction and ending in the Black Panther sequel, however, provide a few clues about what Ironheart could be about. Before being visited by Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Shuri (Letitia Wright), it’s revealed that Williams has built the Mark I armor suit entirely on her own. The suit is bulkier and not very streamlined, looking somewhat similar to the very first Iron Man suit that Tony Stark built in 2008.
After traveling to Wakanda and gaining access to their advanced technology, Williams builds a sleek new armor suit, which looks more akin to Stark’s later, more advanced suits. The end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees Williams travel back to Boston, forced to leave her new Ironheart suit behind. Assuming that the show picks up after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it’s safe to assume that Williams will set to work building a brand new suit, which may incorporate some of her technological learnings from her time in Wakanda. Thorne’s character won’t have access to Vibranium, however, meaning the Mark III suit may go back to a slightly more bulky design.
Beyond Ironheart, it’s unclear what the future holds for Thorne’s new hero, but it’s likely that she will continue to play an important role in the events to come. With the addition of characters like Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), and Skaar (Will Deusner) into the MCU, it’s possible that soon it’ll be time for the formation of the Young Avengers, of which Ironheart is almost guaranteed to be a part. While a number of questions remain regarding Ironheart’s future after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the film makes clear that Thorne’s role in the MCU is just getting started.
Source: Variety
