Wondering how old Riri Williams is in the Ironheart series? With the show set shortly after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the MCU timeline helps confirm her age during the series’ events. Fans have been tracking her birth year and key milestones to settle the question once and for all.
Here’s what we know so far about Riri Williams’ confirmed age in Ironheart, when the series takes place, and how it differs from her comic book version.
Here’s how old Riri Williams could be in Ironheart series
Riri Williams was born in 2005 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Ironheart series is confirmed by Disney+ and producers Sev Ohanian and Zoie Nagelhout to take place six months after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is set in mid-2025.
Based on that timeline, Ironheart most likely occurs in October 2025, shortly after the events of Thor: Love and Thunder and before Werewolf by Night. This places Riri’s age at 20 years old during the events of Ironheart, or close to turning 20 depending on her birth month.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduces Riri as a 19-year-old MIT student who designed a vibranium detector for a class project. The film states her birth year as 2005. She did not experience the Blip and continued her education without interruption.
Riri’s age aligns with her on-screen accomplishments. She builds a vibranium detector, reverse-engineers an Iron Man-style suit, and joins the Wakandans in battle. In contrast, the comic book version of Riri is 15 years old when she creates her first armor at MIT.
The MCU adjusted her age to allow for greater narrative flexibility. This change makes her involvement in larger conflicts and character relationships more believable. Dominique Thorne, who plays Riri, was cast directly by Marvel Studios without an audition. She was about 25 years old during filming.
According to Disney+, Ironheart fits into the official MCU timeline between Ms. Marvel and Werewolf by Night. This placement supports the October 2025 setting and confirms that Riri Williams is portrayed as a 20-year-old in the current MCU continuity.
