Marvel bringing back a classic MCU character we haven't seen in a decade

You never know who might pop up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's one of the beauties of a shared universe, as it means that plenty of beloved characters can surface - or resurface - at any point in time in any project at all. And the MCU is particularly effective at that.

Remember how Chris Evans popped in for an unexpected Thor: The Dark World cameo (albeit as Loki in disguise)? What about how Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts showed up in Spider-Man: Homecoming? Surely, we can't forget about Benedict Cumberbatch's comic-accurate Doctor Strange cameo in Thor: Ragnarok.

Cameos and returns are some of the best things about the MCU movies and TV shows, and now Marvel Studios looks to make that magic happen all over again with a truly unexpected cameo.

Jim Rash returns to the MCU in Ironheart

If you spotted a familiar face in the trailer for Marvel Television's Ironheart then you aren't alone. Jim Rash returns as the Dean of M.I.T. as he talks to Riri Williams about her exceptional talent. He previously played the role in 2016's Captain America: Civil War when Tony Stark was doing a guest speech at the university.

Although his stint in the 2016 film was a cameo, it looks like he'll have more of an involved role in the upcoming Disney Plus series. Footage reveals that he will be present as Riri attempts to run some experiments on her tech - very much in the vein of how Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark would run them in the Iron Man movies - and of course those experiments will have some failures along the way. He is even seen reminding her that she is "not the first genius at M.I.T."

Rash is one of the most recognizable faces on television, with his best-known roles coming in NBC's Community. However, he has made guest or recurring appearances in the likes of Reno 911!, That '70s Show and That '90s Show, Glee, Lucifer, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He also currently has a regular role in another superhero series, voicing The Riddler in animated series Harley Quinn.

Ironheart is a spinoff of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, bringing Dominique Thorne back in the role of Riri Williams. That movie's director, Ryan Coogler, returns to produce the Disney Plus series, which is set to focus on the character's rise as a worthy successor to Tony Stark. How does she plan on doing that? By assembling a suit of armor that can rival the classic Iron Man suit.

Ironheart arrives on Disney Plus on June 24, 2025.