See Ironheart Set Photos Reveal Doctor Strange Character
A new Ironheart tease shows Zelma Stanton, who is Dr. Strange's apprentice.
While the majority of the fanbase for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is metaphorically lining up outside the theater like pictures of the original Star Wars: A New Hope release in anticipation of the long-awaited Black Panther sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, there are other things to look forward to. Included in the film will be the debut of the newest tech-based genius to wear an armored suit in the franchise, Riri Williams, AKA, Ironheart; this appearance will build from the movie into her own Disney+ series, bringing in the official replacement for the deceased Tony Stark. While fans soak up as much as they can about the upcoming series, there is only a little we know so far, but a Twitter post reveals some set photos that could hint at none other than Zelma Stanton appearing in the show.
The set photos show a city street with a sign hanging out over the sidewalk that says Stanton’s Sweets, Reads, and More, seemingly confirming the rumors that Regan Aliyah will appear as Zelma Stanton in the series. While there is, of course, no official word if this is the case, Aliyah has yet to be assigned a character name in the cast list for Ironheart, and Stanton could be the perfect part for this up-and-coming actor to portray. Not only is she a good fit for the part, but it would continue the proposed tech vs. magic theme that the creators have been teasing, meaning Riri Williams will have a little magic on her side to assist her in her battles.
In the comics, Zelma Stanton is a magic user and the apprentice/librarian to Dr. Stephen Strange; since Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberpatch) has been pulling books from the on-site library in the Sanctum Sanctorum since his debut, it’s safe to say that he is not popping in with a library card anytime soon. However, it isn’t the only thing that the series is altering from the comic book origins as Riri Williams, AKA, Ironheart, is an MIT student who develops her own armored suit in her dorm room before becoming an apprentice of Tony Stark himself. With Stark having perished in the battle against Thanos, it makes sense that the series is retconning her background to Wakanda.
The changes show a new direction for the MCU and could also lead to a few other possibilities; while the tech hero typically went up against tech-based villains in the comics alongside her mentor, focusing on magic villains such as The Hood (Anthony Ramos) brings the newer, magic and alternative-reality focused MCU face to face with the more grounded tech-based old guard. Also possible, by bringing Zelma Stanton into the fold, we get another potential addition to the rumored Young Avengers slate of heroes. Stanton could be the Dr. Strange-type, magical representative to the team to go along with the archer in Kate Bishop, the Quantum being in Cassie Lang, the Wiccan and Speed representatives in Tommy and Billy, and of course, Ironheart representing the tech genius. While some of these Twitter posts could just be fun Easter Eggs Fiege is known to include, they could also have far-reaching implications for the MCU.
