Ryan Coogler's Ironheart, the latest Disney+ series to build out the MCU, is finally here. The project has spent a few years in the pipeline, and it couldn't come at a better time, given that Doctor Doom's powerful magic-and-science fusion will challenge Marvel's heroes soon.
Iron Man made major waves at the box office with serious critical acclaim when it kicked off the MCU in 2008, introducing us to the wealthy, genius, armored-suit maker Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.). It kicked off a host of iron suit wearers in MCU history (both heroic and villainous), but Riri Williams is a suited hero of a different caliber despite Stark's inspiration.
Williams is a genius inventor of her own, rather than a mere Stark copycat. Additionally, Stark's heroics are fueled by an unlimited amount of financial resources, while Williams is young, scrappy, and comes from a wildly different background. Ironheart takes these differences one important step further, setting Williams down an unprecedented MCU path.
Dominique Thorne Excels, Leading A Stellar Cast
Ironheart takes place in the immediate aftermath of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, following Riri Williams's (Dominique Thorne) return from Wakanda. Back home in Chicago, Williams continues to attempt the creation of an innovative armored suit that will leave her mark on the world.
She falls into the crew of Parker "The Hood" Robbins (Anthony Ramos), which includes pyrotechics phenom Clown (Sonia Denis), tech expert Rampage (Stuart Clarke), the Blood siblings (Zoe Terakes and Shakira Barrera), and talented hacker Slug (Shea Couleé)... and things escalate from there.
Thorne is great in her return as the brilliant and well-meaning but somewhat hubris-filled Riri. She's believably tough, no-nonsense, yet she also brings charm and believable emotion to the role. Ironheart also sets up a host of characters whose MCU returns will be welcome. Anthony Ramos gives a talented, complex turn as ambitious villain The Hood, who we watch become increasingly corrupted in real time. Alden Ehrenreich is emotive, layered, and charismatic as tech accumulator "Joe McGillicuddy," while the MCU gets another interesting magical player in Regan Aliyah's charming and skilled Zelma Stanton.
There are surprises in store that will not be spoiled here, but the inclusion of a magic-technology fusion is a solid innovation for the character of Riri Williams. Williams leans almost exclusively on the science side of the comics, so giving her a new set of tools for the MCU adds numerous possibilities going forward while helping her stand out from under Stark's shadow.
Ironheart Builds To Great Places, Though Too Slowly
Ironheart builds to some exciting places and packs a wallop in its conclusion and the implications thereof. It suggests an intriguing array of new characters populating the MCU. Coogler's efforts to keep the series grounded yet balanced against big, magical forces allow a tone that works well and stands out from some of the other magical MCU series, like WandaVision or its spinoff, Agatha All Along.
At six episodes, it makes for a breezy watch overall, yet it's also slow to start. Riri's actions with The Hood's group (and the jobs they pull) have an overall purpose, but at a certain point, the plot device feels repetitive (at least until the threads come together in the series' back half). It comes together most at the final two episodes, and they're largely worth the wait.
It's still unfortunate that so many interesting reveals and events finally come to fruition in the finale, and are wrapped in a tight 40-minute episode. It's common screenwriting advice to enter scenes late and exit early, but in terms of its whole structure, Ironheart seemingly does the opposite. Taking a while to get started before exiting arguably prematurely right when it's getting good rarely works, but it's hard to ignore in a tight six episodes.
All that said, Ironheart is a worthwhile addition to the MCU. Thorne, Ramos, and Ehrenreich are excellent, and they all play off each other well. The world has real weight to it; it has evolved Williams' character well and sets up some exciting new elements for Feige's massive MCU sandbox. Coogler's handiwork is as skilled as ever. It's a little lacking as a singular series, but the elements certainly work and break exciting new ground.
Altogether, Ironheart should make Marvel fans happy, and it's definitely a series worth watching. It may not be a full Desperito's pizza dinner, but it's a fine, often delicious appetizer.
Final Rating: 7/10
Ironheart debuts its first three episodes on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, on Disney+, followed by its final three episodes on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
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