Downey

“I want to continue Stark’s legacy,” says Riri Williams, the main character in the upcoming Marvel Studios show Ironheart. Played by Dominique Thorne, Riri is a genius inventor, just like the late, great Iron Man, but without his billionaire resources. That conflict will be at the heart of the new show, which debuts on Disney+ June 24, and Tony Stark himself just endorsed it.

Two fantastic Ironheart videos just came online, one of which focuses on the practical suits built for the production. Executive producer Ryan Coogler, who introduced Riri in his film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, chimes in along with other members of the creative team. Here’s where we get to see Riri really try and be the MCU’s next Tony Stark.

Gear up for a behind-the-scenes look at how Riri’s suit came to life—straight from the filmmakers and special effects team behind Marvel Television’s #Ironheart. Streaming June 24 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/XsSEgam5P2

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) June 17, 2025

In reality, though, we know that the next Tony Stark isn’t Tony Stark at all. He’s Doctor Doom. Robert Downey Jr. is currently in London filming Avengers: Doomsday, where he plays the titular villain, and the actor chimed in from the set to give his approval to Ironheart during an interview with Good Morning America. The full interview is below, but we’ve cued it right up to Downey’s bit.

Now, it’s quite clear Downey is reading a pre-written statement there, and to some, that might make it seem forced. But he didn’t have to read or record anything at all. If this were a political campaign, Ironheart getting the official backing of the Godfather of the MCU like this would be a big deal. And we still think it’s at least a medium-sized deal, just because who better to know stories of geniuses in super suits than Robert Downey Jr.?

Ironheart debuts June 24 and is one of only a handful of Marvel Studios shows coming to Disney+ in the next year or so. After this, there’s the animated Eyes of Wakanda and Marvel Zombies, followed by Wonder Man in December, season two of Daredevil Born Again, probably sometime next year, and, finally, the Vision show. Will Ironheart be the best of the bunch? What kind of impact, if any, will it have on the MCU? We’ll find out soon.

Here’s a look at the episode titles:

Riri’s notebook = unlocked. 🔓

Check out the official #Ironheart episode guide and stream on @DisneyPlus starting June 24. pic.twitter.com/cIJrILXbAi

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) June 17, 2025

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Image: Marvel

The torch has been officially passed. During a recent Good Morning America interview, Ironheart stars Dominique Thorne and Anthony Ramos were surprised with a video message from Robert Downey Jr. In the clip, the OG Iron Man shares his support and jokes about a similarity between Ramos’s Parker Robbins character and Downey Jr.’s own much-anticipated Doctor Doom portrayal.

Ironheart’s New Trailer Delivers A Couple Cool Surprises

During the recorded message, which we all hope was filmed on the set of Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU’s anchor being professes his love and support for Thorne and Ramos’s work in Ironheart, dotingly remarking, “Ms. Thorne, I couldn’t be happier than seeing you bring Riri Williams to life.” Never one to pass up an opportunity to poke fun at the obvious, he then follows up his praise by joking that he hopes the green hood that Ramos’s character dons in the Ironheart trailer isn’t a sign that the actor will replace him as Doctor Doom.

The real passing of the torch comes in the heartfelt final moments of the message, when the 60-year-old actor uses his fingers to make a heart resembling the Arc Reactor that keeps Tony Stark alive, as he proclaims, “Iron Man loves Ironheart.” What makes the gesture feel that much more genuine is Thorne’s revelation that Downey Jr. called her shortly after she finished filming Ironheart in Chicago to share his support. In a May interview with Empire, the longtime Iron Man fan shared exactly what he told her during that phone call.

“He told me how excited he was and that he’s rooting for it, too. I literally got two thumbs up. It’s really reassuring to know you’re not embarrassing Iron Man.”

This isn’t the first time Downey Jr. has shared his public support of Ironheart. During a gala at the Gene Siskel Film Center in June 2019, 18 months before Marvel announced the Ironheart series, the first superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe definitively stated he thought Ironheart belonged in the MCU. He got his wish when Riri Williams made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, even though she wasn’t specifically referred to as Ironheart.

Downey Jr.’s Good Morning America appearance isn’t the holographic video tutorial that we hope Stark will leave Riri in Ironheart. Still, it’s good for the people who built the MCU to show support for the next generation, especially when you know there are going to be trolls ready to curse Ironheart in honor of Iron Man’s name.

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‘Ironheart’ Will Continue Tony Stark’s Legacy, and Robert Downey Jr. Approves

Robert Downey Jr. Publicly Supports Ironheart In Touching Video