Ironheart producer Ryan Coogler spoke out about the online backlash facing Marvel Television’s most recent series. The first season of Ironheart, now streaming in its entirety on Disney+, stars Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actress Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a young Black tech prodigy who inadvertently becomes entangled with the darker, more mystical side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as she seeks out a way to pay for upgrades to her iron suit.
Like many recent superhero and genre shows starring minority actors in lead or prominent roles, Ironheart was hit with a wave of negative review bombing before the show’s premiere. According to GameRant, the Rotten Tomatoes audience score for Ironheart tanked in the days leading up to the show's premiere due to mass negative reviews based on rumors, character identity, and political grievances.
MovieWeb reported that some of the language used in these early "reviews" was overtly racist, targeting both the character of Riri Williams and the creative team behind the show, including series creator and head writer Chinaka Hodge. According to Coogler, parent company Disney had a contingency plan in place in the event of such a review bombing campaign.
Ryan Coogler Reveals Who Ironheart Is For
On The New Blerd Order podcast, host Anthony Whyte spoke with Ironheart producer Ryan Coogler about the disturbing pattern of pre-release backlash and racially motivated review bombing that has become increasingly common for projects spotlighting characters from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as whether Disney prepared internally for it.
When asked if he knew if this kind of backlash was coming, Coogler, who previously wrote and directed the critically acclaimed horror film Sinners, as well as Marvel Studios’ Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, responded candidly:
Q: "Did you and Chinaka go into this process knowing that this was coming, and if so, did that weigh on you going in? Did you warn her? Does Disney have any internal preparation for this stuff?"
A: "The answer is yes to all of that. Whenever you’re breaking ground in spaces that are thought of as not being for you, this happens. The entertainment business is not unique in that. That’s in every business."
Rather than fixating on bad-faith criticism, the Ironheart producer emphasized that Ironheart is meant for people who aren’t constantly online dissecting everything. It’s made for the everyday fans who might not have always felt welcome in geek spaces:
"This show is for people who’re not permanently online, expressing their opinions about everything. This show is for people who are busy living their lives, bro."
He recounted how his older cousin—a Black, Gen X comic book lover from Oakland, California—helped create space for him to engage with the medium in the early 1990s, even when that space didn’t feel inclusive:
"The reality is, as a comic book fan growing up, the comic book shop wasn’t a place that I always felt safe in. It took my older cousin, who was a comic book fan, to take me in there with him. It was through the bravery of my cousin, who was a Gen X’er, Black comic book fan in Oakland, who didn’t care what kind of looks he got or who said what to him…I love making this show for Chinaka’s auntie and making a show for y’all and for people who maybe don’t think [there’s] a place for them in the MCU fandom."
Ultimately, Coogler is not focused on changing the minds of those who are already closed off to the idea of a young Black woman leading a Marvel series:
"If they come to this show with an open mind, I think there’s going to be a lot there for them. For folks that come to the show with a closed mind…that ain’t got nothing to do with us."
By addressing the often-repeated narrative that creatives are somehow responsible for any backlash their diverse projects face, and reframing the argument, Coogler puts the onus on fans themselves and challenges them to keep an open mind about television shows and movies that feature marginalized groups of people and their cultures and experiences.
Ironheart Finds an Audience Despite Backlash
It seems Coogler’s new series has found its audience, despite the hate campaign lodged against it. After its first three episodes premiered on June 25, Ironheart skyrocketed to the #1 spot on Disney+, making it the most-streamed show on the platform. As of this writing, Ironheart has maintained the #1 spot on Disney+ for nearly two weeks.
Beyond its authentic representation and solid writing, the show’s popularity was further boosted by the appearance of an elusive character who’d been rumored to appear in the MCU since WandaVision in 2021.
Whether or not the racist online noise surrounding Riri dies down, Coogler is clear on one thing: Ironheart can be for everyone if they so choose, but it isn’t going to go out of its way to please everyone.
It’s here to make space for those who’ve long been pushed to the margins, make them realize that they belong—no matter what outside forces may say—and help them feel safe, seen, and understood. If that’s the barometer by which Ironheart is judged, it’s hard to see it as anything other than a resounding success.
