Marvel Ironheart Movie Script Appears On The Black List

A script following Marvel Comics character Riri Williams aka. Ironheart inexplicably appears on the Black List. Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe marks its 10th anniversary this year with it being a decade since Iron Man hit theaters and effectively launched the sprawling cinematic world. Over the last 10 years, Marvel Studios has adapted a number of their biggest comic characters to the big screen - like Iron Man, Captain America and Thor. However, with Avengers 4 said to conclude the narrative of the MCU thus far, it's expected the franchise will begin to explore more and different characters in Phase 4.

With that said, Marvel's plans for Phase 4 and beyond are still largely unknown. Spider-Man: Far From Home has a release date set for summer 2019, and a Black Widow solo movie is moving forward. Fans expect a sequel to Black Panther will arrive at some point in addition to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Further, a movie about Marvel Comics' Eternals is in development. Beyond that, though, nothing else is known. However, a new script on the Black List may hint that Marvel is potentially looking to introduce legacy characters in future phases of the MCU.

The official Twitter for the Black List, a resource where Hollywood screenwriters can upload their scripts to be reviewed by industry folks like agents and producers, posted a link to a script titled IRONHEART by Jada Rodriguez. The one-line summary of the script confirms it's about the Marvel Comics character, who has connections to Tony Stark aka. Iron Man. Take a look at the tweet and summary below.

The full script for IRONHEART is only available to members of the Black List, and it's unclear whether it's at all connected to Marvel Studios or the MCU. To be certain, it's not at all standard operating procedure for Marvel Studios to commission scripts that wind up on the Black List. Their universe planning and scripting is done in-house, and their desire for secrecy about their MCU films means it's unlikely they'd allow any potential script to wind up on a resource like the Black List - even if Black List scripts are only available to members of Hollywood.

With that said, That Hashtag Show reports they were informed by an unnamed screenwriter that Rodriguez would have needed to own the Ironheart intellectual property or been commissioned by the IP's holder for the script to have been added to the Black List. That means either Rodriguez owns the rights, which seems unlikely, or she was commissioned by Marvel. If that's the case, perhaps Marvel is using this script to float the idea of passing on the mantle of Iron Man to a new character like Riri Williams; or they're using it as a kind of writing test for Rodriguez before hiring her to pen a different project.

It wouldn't be too surprising for Marvel to introduce Riri Williams in a future MCU movie, since the character was introduced in the comics as the new Iron Man. So if Robert Downey Jr. steps away from the franchise but Marvel Studios wants to make another Iron Man movie, Riri is an option to take up the mantle - and fans of the character would no doubt love to see her make the leap to live-action. Still, that's all speculation at this point. An Ironheart script appearing on the Black List is curious, but it's not a definite indication Marvel Studios is planning a solo Riri movie. Until we know more, though, fans can speculate about what it means and what an Ironheart movie could entail.