‘Ironheart’ Ripped Off Iron Man’s Movies In 4 Major Ways

by

Drawing inspiration from Robert Downey Jr.’s (RDJ) Iron Man character, Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart series echoed some significant storylines from its predecessor’s films. For quite some time, Downey has been advocating for Ironheart’s incorporation into the MCU, wholeheartedly backing Thorne and her fellow cast members during the series’ premiere in June 2025. Given their characters’ comic book histories and appearances in the MCU, it made perfect sense that certain storylines would overlap.

As a movie reviewer looking back on 2025’s “Ironheart,” it’s hard not to notice the striking similarities between this film and the 2008 original, “Iron Man.” Seventeen years after setting the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in motion, Ironheart brings Dominique Thorne into the spotlight following her memorable debut in last year’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

Throughout Riri’s brief MCU journey, there are clear connections to Tony Stark that can’t be ignored. From certain story beats to plot points, their narratives share a strong resemblance. While it may have been intended as an homage to the original Iron Man, some viewers might find these similarities hard to overlook.

The storyline of Ironheart resumes with Dominique Thorne’s character, Riri Williams, post her introduction in Black Panther 2, as she goes back to MIT. In this series, Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, and Anthony Ramos join her cast. As Riri delves deeper into technology development, she uncovers a menacing force lurking in the shadows. This discovery triggers an exhilarating showdown with otherworldly entities. You can now watch the entire Ironheart series on Disney+.

Every Iron Man Plot Point Used in Ironheart

Building a Suit From Scraps

“Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!”

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane made a profound and unforgettable statement about Tony Stark’s backstory in the movie “Iron Man.” After being seized by terrorists and imprisoned, Tony utilized his technology to fashion something novel during the subsequent three months. The arc reactor, which sustained him, was his first creation, followed by constructing the Mark I Iron Man armor from salvaged debris (predominantly from his own weaponry) to escape the Ten Rings’ fortress.

In her unique brilliance, Riri took discarded materials and replicated Iron Man technology to make it distinctively hers. She scavenged metal from the streets of Chicago and used these resources along with her intelligence to establish herself as a formidable force. Reminiscent of Tony Stark, her final scene showcased her using her stepfather’s 1971 Plymouth Barracuda to construct her latest suit, demonstrating her innovative ability to work with what she had at hand.

Getting Attacked by a Stane

Previously mentioned, Jeff Bridges portrayed the main antagonist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Obadiah Stane, who was Tony Stark’s business partner at Stark Industries. Utilizing remnants of Tony Stark’s Mark I suit, Obadiah sought revenge against Stark after years of feeling marginalized and disrespected. This culminated in a thrilling showdown over the arc reactor at Stark Industries, resulting in Stane plummeting to his demise.

Surprisingly, the third episode of Ironheart unveiled Alden Ehrenreich’s true character in the series, revealing him to be Ezekiel Stane, son of Obadiah. Initially assisting Riri with The Hood’s gang, he swiftly betrayed her, exposing his own genetic modifications and pursuing her after being extracted from hiding. By the end of the episode, Riri manages to free Ezekiel from The Hood’s grasp, but their animosity appears far from resolved.

Panic Attacks From Past Trauma

After the release of The Avengers in 2012, the film Iron Man 3 placed Tony Stark in unfamiliar territory as he began experiencing panic attacks. The movie depicted him having recurring nightmares about the Battle of New York and, even when awake, his thoughts would often wander to the alien invasion he had come close to sacrificing himself to thwart.

In the story Ironheart, Riri Williams often encountered a sense of distress, particularly when reflecting on her tumultuous past. Memories of tragic events such as the death of her friend Natalie and the passing of her stepfather would suddenly resurface, often triggered by witnessing violence or loss, like when someone from The Hood’s gang was killed and John King was left to perish in a greenhouse. Given her young age and the hardships she’s already faced, it wasn’t surprising that past wounds reemerged, much like they did for Tony Stark.

Creating a Real Person from an AI

Initially, the character Tony Stark was introduced alongside JARVIS, an artificial intelligence modeled after his childhood butler, Edwin Jarvis, whom you may recognize from shows like Agent Carter and Avengers: Endgame. Over time, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner transformed JARVIS into a new form using a vibranium-built body that had once been intended for Ultron. This transformation saw JARVIS become the entity known as Vision.

In Ironheart, although the storyline deviated, Riri Williams developed an AI based on her late best friend, Natalie. By studying Natalie’s brain, Riri brought her back to life, not just as an artificial entity but as a sentient system that took on a physical form. This new version of Natalie became her ally during Riri’s heroic escapades.

Although both characters underwent a comparable transformation, progressing from humans to AIs to corporeal entities, Natalie and JARVIS possess distinct characteristics that enable Iron Man and Ironheart to establish their unique identities.

Read More

2025-08-04 17:13