The time jump between Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Marvel Studios' upcoming series Ironheart was addressed by its leading star. Despite a significant gap between releases (from November 2022 to June 2025), these two projects are tightly woven together.
In an exclusive interview with The Direct's David Thompson, Ironheart star Dominique Thorne, who debuted as Riri Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was asked how the character has evolved since then. She acknowledged that Riri "caused a pretty big mess" in Wakanda Forever and that Ironheart will explore how her actions "might have impact for the world around her:"
"Well, she caused a pretty big mess, didn't she? And so I think she absolutely realizes that she needs to reflect and really figure out, 'Okay, what does it mean for me to use and bring to life all of these ideas that I have in my head?' Actually reckoning with the fact that it might have impact for the world around her."
Thorne elaborated on how Riri is navigating the emotional aftermath of her MCU debut while still moving forward, "It's an internal battle for her:"
"And now knowing that the world around her is so much bigger than she thought it was. So she's definitely, after having this crazy, wild, outlandish experience, kind of digging deeper and being forced to. I think we can all already tell that Riri is not the person who likes to sit and talk about her feelings. So she's going on that journey while still having to deal with the effects of what she has done. So it's an internal battle for her."
As for exactly when Ironheart picks up in the MCU timeline, Thorne avoided pinpointing the time since the events of Wakanda Forever but did mention that Riri has "had a minute to sit down, reflect, regather, recoup:"
"I don't know how much I can say, but for sure it's after Wakanda Forever. This is after she's had a minute to sit down, reflect, regather, recoup. And we'll see if she's made the best use of that time or not, you know?"
This response comes after head writer Chinaka Hodge confirmed Ironheart explores what happens "the days after [Wakanda Forever]," making it the earliest-set project in Marvel's Phase 5 despite being the final release. This MCU timeline placement sets Ironheart in roughly early 2025, over two years before the events of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* in 2027.
Despite its unusual placement in the MCU timeline, Ironheart is poised to make a major impact, especially if Ironheart appears in Avengers: Doomsday, a crossover Thorne recently hinted could be in her character's future. Ironheart hits Disney+ on June 24, 2025, debuting three of its six episodes. Thorne is joined by Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, a villain who brings magic into Riri's world of science.
The latest trailer teases a groundbreaking suit upgrade that merges Iron Man-level tech with Doctor Strange-style Eldritch magic, setting the stage for Riri to carve out her own legacy. With Ryan Coogler producing and Chinaka Hodge serving as showrunner, Ironheart is poised to blend the best of two MCU powerhouses in a bold new direction.
When Does Ironheart Take Place After Black Panther 2 on the MCU Timeline?
The Multiverse Saga's timeline stretches across years of MCU history, weaving together stories set before and after Avengers: Endgame. While many Phase 5 projects occur in 2026 and 2027, Ironheart is much earlier. Despite releasing at the end of Phase 5, it will soon be officially added to the MCU's chronological order as one of the earliest entries of the Multiverse Saga.
However, the most recent story canonically remains the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*, which takes place in what's believed to be late 2027. Ironheart's unorthodox timeline placement highlights the MCU's nonlinear storytelling approach heading into Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars to close out the Multiverse Saga.
