After various reports, Marvel has finally confirmed that the Hood will be the main villain of the Disney+ Ironheart series.
The casting confirmation came during the D23 Expo, a Comic-Con-like fan convention where the House of Mouse reveals trailers, castings and other news regarding its upcoming Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Lucasfilm projects. Anthony Ramos, who will be portraying the villain, appeared on stage at the convention, where viewers got a sneak peek at the series.
While on stage, Ramos revealed that his character is a "misfit" who embraces other outcasts. He will also dabble in magic and sorcery, setting up a science vs. magic conflict against Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams / Ironheart, an inventor whose intellect rivals that of Tony Stark.
Ramos' casting was announced back in February, although his character was not confirmed at the time. "We in the [Marvel] universal mix. Gracia a Dios por la oportunidad!" he exclaimed upon the reveal. Set photos from filming in August showed the actor sporting a comics-accurate Hood costume, including the iconic red cloak and hood.
Created by Brian K. Vaughan, Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the Hood / Parker Robbins debuted in July 2002's The Hood #1. Originally a petty criminal, he gained magical powers after robbing a Nisanti demon of its hood and boots. Since then, he has been affiliated with the Cabal, the Initiative and the Illuminati.
Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato, Ironheart made her comics debut in May 2016's Invincible Iron Man #7. A 15-year-old engineering student, she creates her Iron Man armor out of stolen parts, eventually earning the respect of Tony Stark himself.
Thorne and Ramos are part of a cast that also includes Solo: A Star Wars Story's Alden Ehrenreich, as well as Shakira Barrera, Zoe Terakes, Shea Couleé, Lyric Ross, Manny Montana and Harper Anthony. Jim Rash, who played the dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Captain America: Civil War, will also return for the series. Created by Chinaka Hodge, the superhero drama will premiere in 2023. Sam Bailey will direct the first three episodes, while Angela Barnes will helm the final three.
Before getting her own solo series, Thorne will make her Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will premiere in theaters on Nov. 11.
Source: Twitter