The speculation about Marvel secretly casting Sacha Baron Cohen for Mephisto is growing every day. Although, the executives are yet to comment on this scenario. But we know these types of strongly hyped speculations usually turn out true when it comes to Marvel. Rumours about Harrison Ford joining the MCU as Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross set social media on fire some time ago. Now, the on-screen Han Solo is officially a part of ‘Captain America: New World Order’. So, the rumours about Cohen portraying the devilish character in Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series, Ironheart, may turn out true soon.
The rumours about Mephisto becoming a part of the MCU surfaced first when WandaVision arrived on Disney+ in January last year. But that was a long time ago. Now, things are very different from what they were. The ongoing Phase Four has gone through a lot of ups and downs. As a result, the hype about Mephisto’s rumoured appearance faded almost entirely during this time. Two years later, we have returned to this old classic case. Thanks to Borat (cough!), we mean Sacha Baron Cohen!
Cohen’s rumoured casting as Mephisto raises tons of questions. Like how will his character become a part of the Ironheart series? How will he affect Riri Williams’ life? Will he get a cameo appearance? Or does he have a much larger role in the series and, quite possibly, in future MCU projects? Let’s discuss them all!
Who is Mephisto?
The duo of Stan Lee and John Buscema created Mephisto for the Marvel Universe. He first appeared in the 1968 ‘The Silver Surfer’ comic book series. His full name is Mephistopheles – a demon from the Faust legend. He is a recurring adversary of Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) and Silver Surfer. Also, he has often gone toe to toe with Doctor Strange, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), and Doctor Doom in the comics.
How Mephisto fits into the Ironheart series?
The inclusion of Mephisto certainly seems like a big win for the Ironheart series. But fans are wondering how ‘The Devil’ fits into the world of MCU’s Riri Williams. Various rumours have flooded the internet regarding this scenario. But there is one rumour which is trending pretty heavily these days. According to it, Mephisto may force Anthony Ramos’ Parker Robbins (The Hood) to make a pact with him in the series, making the latter a pawn in The Devil’s big game.
Fans know that the pacts made with Mephisto work like double-edged swords. Many prominent Marvel characters have struck dangerous deals with the Hell Lord when they found themselves in utterly hopeless situations. However, they all paid a heavy price in exchange for their wishes. The same may happen with Parker Robbins as well.
In the comics, Riri is an integral member of the Champions, a faction consisting of young Marvel superheroes like Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ms Marvel, Nova, Viv (Vision’s daughter), and many more.
Also, Riri’s mind – and that of several other Champions – gets corrupted by Blackheart (Mephisto’s son) in a comic storyline. It causes her to turn against her friends. She even attempts to destroy Viv as the synthezoid develops feelings for her. However, Riri snaps out of Blackheart’s mind control after realising Viv’s affection. This scenario angers Mephisto so much that he throws Blackheart back into his realm. The odds of this plotline becoming a part of the show are dim. But it doesn’t mean that it cannot happen. The series’ cast treasures plenty of young actors. Details about their respective roles are under wrap right now. But it seems like the show may serve as a strong foundation for the Champions storyline in the MCU.
Who’s in the cast?
Ironheart’s cast consists of Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Jim Rash, Lyric Ross, Harper Anthony, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Shea Coulee, Zoe Terakes, and many more. Marvel has yet to confirm Sacha Baron Cohen’s involvement in the series.
When will it come out?
Ironheart may arrive on Disney+ Hotstar in late 2023 for Indian viewers. The show will have a total of six episodes and is a part of MCU’s Phase Five. Stay tuned for more updates.