- calendar_today September 1, 2025
Ironheart Will Be Marvel’s Final Phase Five TV Show
After the success of Sinners, the next project for Ryan Coogler will be Marvel’s limited series Ironheart. The studio has released the new trailer for the show, which will premiere in June 2025.
In the upcoming six-episode limited series for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dominique Thorne will play Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, a teenage engineering wunderkind who was Tony Stark’s protégé in the source material. It will be the last series in the MCU’s Phase Five.
The long-gestating Ironheart series was first announced in December 2020 and had been originally expected to debut in 2023. Marvel subsequently revised its long-term plans for the MCU, which included reducing the sheer volume of projects produced and released on a yearly basis, partially due to concerns of over-saturation. As a result, the premiere of Ironheart has been moved to this summer. The footage presented at the 2024 D23 convention teased that the project would be “a crime show with an Iron Man twist at the center,” and at the time, Kevin Feige said, “I don’t think we’ve seen a series in the MCU quite like this before. It’s different. It’s grounded. It’s adult.” This may suggest that the series will be leaner and darker than other recent MCU projects.
The character of Riri Williams was last seen in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, when she got pulled into a conflict with Namor and his azure-skinned army. Inventing a vibranium detector during her time at MIT, Riri allied with Shuri during the film, brought together by their shared love of science. They ended up building a metallic suit of armor inspired by Iron Man’s original so that Wakanda could defend itself against Namor. After peace was re-established between Wakanda and Atlantis, Riri was forced to leave the suit with the Wakandans before she returned to MIT.
It’s Kind of Like a Magic: Technology in Ironheart
Ironheart picks up shortly after the events of Wakanda Forever. Per the official synopsis, “Set after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ironheart pits technology against magic when Riri—determined to make her mark on the world—returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins, aka ‘The Hood’ (Anthony Ramos).”
Lyric Ross will appear as Riri’s best friend, Natalie Washington; Alden Ehrenreich as Joe McGillicuddy; Manny Montana as Cousin John; Matthew Elam as Xavier Washington; and Anji White as Riri’s mom, Ronnie. In addition, Shea Couleé will portray Slug. Jim Rash will reprise his role as the dean of MIT, which he originally played in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Sacha Baron Cohen also has a part in the series, though no further information has been released at this time.
The short trailer wastes little time before diving into the story. It opens with Riri entering an abandoned pizza place, but she soon finds herself locked in a poison-filled elevator with only two minutes before the toxin makes her pass out and die. The sequence is later revealed to be some kind of test—or as the person setting it up refers to it, an “interview.” The Hood, an unknown individual she’s been recruited by, is heard over the intercom, saying she will die of asphyxiation if she doesn’t break into a box on the floor that contains a gas mask. Riri, who is nowhere near the right kind of submission for a would-be thug, instead has an idea of her own.
Impressed, The Hood invites Riri to join him on an unnamed side job—one that seems to be on the wrong side of the law. Eager to both showcase her skills and build something “iconic,” Riri assents. However, her decision to join up with the Hood is met with some disapproval by her friends, namely Natalie, who also warns her that The Hood may not be all he seems. She may be right, especially since the Hood tells Riri, “Anyone who has ever accomplished anything iconic in life has had to do some questionable things to get it done.”
It will be interesting to see how the series handles the ethical and moral cost of success, especially for someone who is both as smart and driven as Riri Williams. We will all be curious to see how far Riri is willing to go to do something “iconic” and how successful she will be at it.
Marvel has confirmed that the first three episodes of Ironheart will premiere on Disney+ on June 24, 2025, followed by weekly releases of the remaining three episodes. No word has been given on a second season, but that door has not been closed should the first season find an audience. Marvel released a new behind-the-scenes featurette and the trailer for the new show to tide over fans.
With Coogler’s previous work and Thorne’s work thus far on Ironheart, there is little reason to think the series won’t be a worthy addition to the MCU. Thorne as Riri may just find a new way to tie into Iron Man’s legacy.
