The wait is almost over! We are days away from the premiere of the highly anticipated Disney+ series, Ironheart, created by Chinaka Hodge (Snowpiercer) and directed by Samantha Bailey and Angela Barnes (cheers to female creatives!). Ryan Coogler and his wife, Zinzi Coogler, take on executive producer roles as Dominique Thorne reprises her role as Riri Williams after initially being introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the series since it was first teased at D23 back in September 2022. Three years later and we are finally getting a series that looks quite promising. It is no secret that Marvel and Disney were getting some criticism about choosing quantity over quality. It’s quite clear Kevin Feige and team got that in check as Ironheart looks like it is sure to be the show of the summer. Let’s get to know a little more about Riri and what we can expect.
Who is Ironheart?
Riri Williams became known as Ironheart when she first appeared in 2015’s Invincible Iron Man Vol. 3 #7 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato Jr. After losing her father, she goes to live with her mom and stepdad in Chicago. It was obvious she was bright at a very young age, as a series of tests showed that she was extremely intelligent. At the age of 15, she set out to follow her passion for technology and became an engineering student at MIT. She traded going out with friends and indulging in TV for inventing new machines. There, she designed her own suit, known as Armor Model 41, in her dorm room. She reverse-engineered it to have the ability to fly, superhuman strength, and magnetic powers. After damaging her suit when she stopped two inmates from escaping jail, she caught Tony Stark’s attention, and he agreed to be her mentor.
Ironheart in the MCU
As previously mentioned, Wakanda Forever brought us our first look at Riri in action when she built a suit using vibranium and used it to help fight alongside them against Talokan. She ultimately returned the suit to the Wakandans to avoid it falling into the wrong hands (particularly the U.S. government). Her role in the film was quite important as she was approached by Shuri and the Wakandans and proved to be a vital part in their success during the battle.
One thing that makes Williams such a likable character is how relatable she is. Much like Stark, she lacks superpowers, but her unique level of genius makes her valuable. She’s just a kid from Chicago, which made for a comedic moment seeing Shuri and Okoye in civilian clothes when they went to visit her at the MIT campus. Ironheart is a key piece to the future of Marvel and, although she hasn’t been confirmed with her own “chair,” it makes sense that Thorne makes an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday if Marvel wants to keep her character arc going past the series.
What will the series focus on?
So who’s in Ironheart’s 6-episode series? Joining Thorne are Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Man), Manny Montana (Good Girls), Lyric Ross (This Is Us), and Matthew Elam (61st Street). The most mysterious role missing official confirmation is the long-teased and speculated Mephisto, with reports pointing to Sasha Baron Cohen being cast. Williams faces many dilemmas in Ironheart, as things kick off with her being expelled from MIT for missing quite a bit of classes (due to her time away at Wakanda), as well as her use of the institute’s resources.
With many details still under wraps, it is known that Ramos will play Parker Robbins, the villain known as the Hood. Going back to Chicago and no longer having access to MIT resources, Riri needs money to keep advancing her designs, so she begins working with Robbins. It will be interesting to see how the MCU lays out the Hood’s powers, or better yet, how he comes to have them. In the comics, he receives his magical hood and boots after killing a demon. With the heavy rumors that Mephisto will indeed be a part of Ironheart, signs say the writers have found a way to change that narrative.
We can definitely expect some heat, as not only is Coogler an executive producer, but his production company, Proximity Media, is helming the series. “I got into Marvel as a kid going to comic book shops. I was really big on X-Men… like X-Factor and Wolverine…” Coogler said in an interview. This for sure offers some relief knowing we’re in good hands as he is genuinely familiar with the source material and will certainly do it justice. You can tell when you see a project whether or not the people involved truly know their stuff. “When Ironheart came out, I remember the buzz around the industry. I was really excited… a lot of people think that she’s a successor to the Iron Man legacy, but, in the comic book, Riri and Tony had a friendship…” This is a big misconception, but it seems Coogler’s vast knowledge of the character will translate well on screen.
After the massive success of his recent film, Sinners, many are ready to see him team up with Marvel again to lend some of his magic to the MCU (this also sparked the desire to see Coogler take on Blade, but that’s a whole different conversation). Ironheart has fresh characters, a great storyline, clean visuals, and talented actors, all of which are solid ingredients for a banger. They will have our undivided attention as all eyes will be on them with no other Marvel release coinciding with the show.
Ironheart will be part of Marvel’s phase five and premiere on Disney+ with a 3-episode premiere June 24, 2025, at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET.