Rumor Report: Is Sacha Baron Cohen Joining Ironheart?
Throughout the fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans got to meet a bunch of legacy characters with potentially bright futures in the franchise. Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany), and more have all proven capable of taking the baton from their respective Avengers equivalents when the time is right. In "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," another one of these successors will make their franchise debut: Riri Williams, better known as Ironheart (Dominique Thorne, who nearly played a different MCU character), who uses her technical proficiency to build armored suits, not unlike those synonymous with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).
After introducing herself to MCU audiences in "Wakanda Forever," Ironheart will star in a Disney+ series all her own. Aptly titled "Ironheart," the program aims to reach the streamer sometime in 2023, courtesy of creator Chinaka Hodge. As the inevitable premiere inches closer and closer, several notable names have joined the cast list, including Anthony Ramos as Parker "The Hood" Robbins, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" alum Alden Ehrenreich, and Lyric Ross, among others. Although, if the rumor mill is to be believed, an entertainment icon may work under the Marvel Studios banner for the first time as well on the show.
Word has it that Sacha Baron Cohen will feature on "Ironheart," but how true is this claim currently floating around the internet? Here's what we know.
Baron Cohen may pop up toward the end of Ironheart
Deadline reported on October 18, 2022, that Sacha Baron Cohen could potentially be MCU-bound via "Ironheart." Sources claim that if he's indeed involved, he's signed on to play a villain, but not just any run-of-the-mill bad guy. Apparently, he might take on the role of the devilish Mephisto, who fans have theorized would arrive in the MCU through various prior productions with no luck so far. The publication notes that he's been spotted at the Marvel facilities of Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom, though neither Marvel nor Baron Cohen's reps have commented on his potential involvement.
Building on the prior report, Deadline followed up on the initial rumors of Sacha Baron Cohen's "Ironheart" casting later in the month on October 26. In addition to the news that Cree Summer had officially joined the series in an undisclosed role, new information about Baron Cohen's involvement surfaced. If he does end up appearing on the Disney+ production as Mephisto, odds are he'll do so in the final few of the six total episodes. Additionally, he's reportedly been scanned for CGI effects, indicating that he could take on a digital form as well as appear on the show in person.
So, is Sacha Baron Cohen confirmed to appear on "Ironheart"? Well, no, at least not at the time of this writing. For as intriguing as these reports are, until Baron Cohen himself or someone from Marvel Studios announces his inclusion, it's best to take these rumors with a grain of salt.