Marvel Studios just unveiled the best glimpse yet at its next major villain in the MCU: The Hood. Known in the comics for his mystical cloak and connections to the criminal underworld, The Hood is set to make his live-action debut in Ironheart.
A featurette for Ironheart, featuring executive producer Ryan Coogler, included an up-close look at The Hood, played by Anthony Ramos. Marvel Studios released this footage to tease the full trailer release on Wednesday, May 14, breaking a concerning MCU record. Ramos is highlighted in this footage as Parker Robbins, giving fans their best look at his new villain costume.
Audiences can hear Ramos' antagonist say, "Riri, I see you. Waiting to be acknowledged for your greatness." While this doesn't indicate much about the series' conflict or why The Hood and Ironheart square off, it does give fans a tease that the two characters may have a history.
A past Disney+ "Look Ahead" teaser featuring some sneak peeks at Ironheart also included Ramos, including his character shirtless, visibly praying.
One image from that teaser did have Ramos donning the cloak without the iconic hood covering his head. This version of Ramos' Hood will be a steady presence in the series. A similar look at The Hood was recently shared alongside co-star Manny Montana.
From a release standpoint, 2025 was never the plan for Ironheart. Ironheart has had one of the longest and most delayed journeys of any Marvel Studios series. Initially expected to release in late 2023, the show experienced multiple setbacks, including internal content reshuffling at Disney, the Hollywood labor strikes, and extended post-production that pushed its debut back nearly two years after filming had wrapped.
The project was first announced in December 2020, with Dominique Thorne cast as teen tech genius Riri Williams, following her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Head writer Chinaka Hodge confirmed in the new promotional video that Ironheart follows Riri during the days after Wakanda Forever, directly tied to the film that was released two and a half years before this series' release. Ironheart is now slated for a June 24, 2025 three-episode premiere on Disney+.
The Hood: From Comics to Disney+
In Marvel Comics, The Hood/Parker Robbins is a small-time criminal who stumbles upon a magical cloak and boots during a botched robbery, granting him supernatural abilities like levitation and invisibility. Originally introduced in The Hood #1 (2002), Parker's transformation into a powerful villain is driven by his desire to provide for his family, potentially a personal motivation fans will see in 2025's Ironheart series.
The Hood's presence sets the stage for a unique clash between "tech versus magic," with the villain tapping into the MCU's mystical side. As this series will primarily be the next chapter in Riri's journey, building more of her own super suits, her battle against The Hood will be exciting to see play out.
When comparing her abilities to Iron Man, it wasn't until the Avengers films that Tony Stark matched up against magical beings, creating a unique dynamic on Disney+ for Riri. There's even speculation that Sacha Baron Cohen's rumored role as Mephisto will add to the chaos and impact The Hood's origin story.
