How a Wakanda Forever character is linked to Tony Stark

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler has explained how a character in the Black Panther sequel is linked to Tony Stark.

Due to the tragic passing of star Chadwick Boseman, Wakanda Forever will focus on the supporting characters of the first movie such as Letitia Wright's Shuri, Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia and Angela Bassett's Ramonda.

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There will, however, be a host of new characters like the primary antagonist, Namor, as well as Ironheart / Riri Williams.

Dominique Thorne plays Ironheart in Wakanda Forever and will also feature as the character in a Disney + series.

Due to Ironheart's mechanical suit and links with Tony Stark in the Marvel comics, fans have been speculating as to what the link will be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Coogler has teased the link, though didn't give too much away.

"I don’t want to put any spoilers out there… I know you all haven’t seen the film yet," he told DesiNerd.

"I know the same for your audience. But yeah, there is a connection there between her and Tony, but it isn’t… it’s a complicated connection. And Riri is a supporting character in this film, so she’s there kind of in concert with a lot of other characters. But she does play a major role and we will get to know a little bit about how she became who she is when we meet her in this in this film."

Black Panther reviews

Here is a selection of initial reactions to the movie:

"Black Panther: #WakandaForever is as epic as Marvel sequels get. The story is hugely ambitious & thematically rewarding with gut-wrenching twists and turns throughout. You feel the length but it’s fun, wildly beautiful and has the best credits scene in Marvel history, no contest," - @GermainLussier of Gizmodo.

"#WakandaForever is fantastic! Coogler delivers a soulful, wondrous sequel that packs an emotional punch & effectively explores relevant world themes. A beautiful tribute to Boseman’s legacy. Letitia & Tenoch are great, & the mid-credits scene is really moving. #BlackPanther " - @FicoCangiano of CineXpress

"Black Panther Wakanda Forever makes it clear how precious Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa were to the MCU. Without him, the film sometimes yearns for a heartbeat. It finds it at just the right moments, and it’s exhilarating. I can’t wait to see it again. With the loss of Boseman, I think we forget how every Black Panther appearance in the franchise has centered on loss. But this film teaches us a whole new way to mourn. I think a lot of fans need this. Others may want more, and that’s understandable. More will come," - @eavoss of New Rockstars.

Black Panther: #WakandaForever is as epic as Marvel sequels get. The story is hugely ambitious & thematically rewarding with gut-wrenching twists and turns throughout. You feel the length but it’s fun, wildly beautiful and has the best credits scene in Marvel history, no contest. pic.twitter.com/zD8nYIFKXC— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) October 27, 2022

"Black Panther: #WakandaForever is Marvel's most poignant and powerful film to date. It's heavy and dark in the way that it needed to be, and mostly abandons the studio's trademark tone. The craft work levels up in every conceivable way, and the performances rise to the occasion." - @PickYourBrian of The Hollywood Reporter.

"Another reason I’m so impressed with #BlackPantherWakandaForever is #RyanCoogler had the impossible task of trying to make a sequel without #ChadwickBoseman & make it feel respectful but also keep the franchise going and he hit a home run. Going to be HUGE hit for @MarvelStudios" - @colliderfrosty of Collider

"No spoilers. Wakanda Forever had so many emotions!!! It was creepy and BRU-TAL in parts. Heartbreaking and beautiful. And the fight scenes were WILD. I’m in awe of the care put into representing these cultures." - @msdanifernandez