Ironheart has the opportunity to include several major MCU characters. What cameos might we see when the series finally hits Disney+?
Ironheart is set to bring Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a Disney+ series that will follow the burgeoning superhero in her early adventures. Set after her escapade in Wakanda during the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ironheart will finally confirm the eponymous superhero’s place in the MCU and continue to position the character as the replacement for Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. Riri Williams may not be alone when she next returns to the MCU, however, as there are several other franchise characters who would be perfect additions to her upcoming Disney+ series.
The MCU’s adaptation of Ironheart is truly following in the steps of Iron Man, fashioning her own suits of armor to battle evil in her world. Her solo Disney+ series, which is most likely to debut in late 2023 or early 2024, will see Riri come to blows against Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), a.k.a. the Hood, a man with seemingly impossible magical powers. Moreover, Sacha Baron Cohen is heavily rumored to make an appearance as the entity behind the Hood, Mephisto. While the show is confirmed to be introduced several important new characters to the MCU, it wouldn’t be a surprise if several familiar faces also made an appearance therein.
8War Machine
War Machine is integral to the MCU’s future plans, as he is confirmed to appear in both the Disney+ series Secret Invasion and his own solo film, Armor Wars. However, these two projects could merely bookend a larger story involving Don Cheadle’s beloved Avenger, who remains one of the most seasoned heroes within the MCU. Because his post-Endgame storyline has so heavily dealt with Tony Stark’s legacy, it makes perfect sense for Rhodey to show up at some point in Ironheart. Rhodey would certainly be interested in someone replicating Stark’s Iron Man suits, and would be obligated to confirm that Riri is worthy of possessing such dangerous technology.
7Pepper Potts
No one is more important to Tony Stark’s legacy than his family, including his wife Pepper Potts. Pepper continues to serve as the CEO of Stark Industries and has even sported an Iron Man suit of her own, becoming the superhero known as Rescue in Avengers: Endgame. Although Gwyneth Paltrow has been absent from the MCU since Endgame, Ironheart would be the perfect place for her return, given how heavily the series will delve into Tony Stark’s legacy. Pepper’s return would clarify exactly what Stark Industries has been up to since Tony Stark’s death and would also allow for the return of her and Tony’s daughter, Morgan Stark.
6Happy Hogan
Jon Favreau’s Harold “Happy” Hogan may not have a clear trajectory in the MCU after the end of the Iron Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogies, but his return in Ironheart would certainly be welcome. Happy has been instrumental in preserving Tony Stark’s legacy in the years following Endgame, especially concerning Peter Parker. However, after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Happy has lost all memory of Peter and may shift his focus to the latest hero inspired by his fallen best friend: Ironheart. Featuring Happy would be the perfect way for Ironheart to directly connect to Iron Man, while also paying tribute to the original 2008 film’s beloved director.
5Shuri
Shuri, Wakanda’s brand-new Black Panther, stands a strong chance of appearing during the events of Ironheart. She and Riri grew close during their encounter in Wakanda Forever, with Shuri even building her new friend a new Ironheart suit. Letitia Wright likely wouldn’t appear in a major role in Ironheart in an effort to ensure that Riri Williams can grow as her own hero, a cameo certainly isn’t out of the question for Wakanda’s sworn protector. Such an appearance would not only continue to build Shuri’s friendship with Riri but also allow the MCU a chance to show how the former princess is adjusting to her new role in Wakandan society.
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4MJ Watson
After the tragic ending of Spider-Man: Homecoming in which Doctor Strange was forced to erase the entire world’s memories of Peter Parker, it is unclear whether or not Zendaya’s MJ Watson will appear in Spider-Man 4. However, Ironheart does provide the perfect opportunity for her character to appear apart from Peter Parker. No Way Home indicated that MJ would be going to MIT the following year, which happens to be the same school that Riri Williams is currently attending, as revealed in Wakanda Forever. While Marvel’s deal with Sony regarding Spider-Man characters might prevent MJ’s appearance in Ironheart, it is simply too perfect an opportunity for the MCU to miss.
3Ned Leeds
Like MJ Watson, Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds will also attend MIT, perfectly setting up a cameo in Ironheart. Because Ned is also interested in engineering and robotics, it is quite likely that he would be in some of the same classes as Riri Williams, making his appearance in the series even more likely. Ironheart can even continue to set up Ned’s potential Hobgoblin transformation, a twist which Spider-Man: No Way Home heavily hinted at. Depicting a Ned who grew up without his best friend Peter Parker, Ironheart may show a very different version of the beloved character than the MCU has ever depicted before.
2Sharon Carter
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier revealed Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) to be the mysterious Power Broker, setting her up to take a major villain role in the future of the MCU. The series ended with her being reinstated to a government position, once more granting her unlimited access to their resources. As a result, it has been heavily theorized that Sharon will factor into the upcoming Armor Wars storyline, which could also connect to Ironheart. As the Power Broker, Sharon specializes in creating new superheroes and villains and may be interested in attaining Riri Williams’ new technology for herself.
1Wong
Phase 4 of the MCU saw Wong (Benedict Wong) become of the franchise’s most popular, and most frequently recurring, characters. Having appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Wong is the thread connecting multiple unrelated MCU films and series. Furthermore, Ironheart‘s executive producer Ryan Coogler has described the series as the intersection of magic and science, paving the perfect path for the beloved Sorcerer Supreme to appear therein. While Wong doesn’t yet have his own Disney+ show, his appearance in Ironheart would continue to establish his character within the larger MCU.
