In Marvel’s latest series, Ironheart, fans finally get to revisit Riri Williams, who was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After the harrowing events of Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams goes back to her regular life and must now tackle real life problems.
Dominique Thorne reprises the role of the teen, tech genius, surrounded by a stellar cast that includes Anthony Ramos, Alden Ehrenreich, Lyric Ross and Matthew Elam. Ironheart is a sincere look at the life of a young superhero wrestling with the responsibilities and burdens that come with a mantle that is a combination of Wakanda and Tony Stark, while dealing with an increasingly difficult and dangerous world.
Produced by Ryan Coogler and Proximity Media, with Chinaka Hodge as head writer, and episodes directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes, Ironheart is a series that will have massive implications for the future of the MCU.
Ironheart releases June 24, 2025 on Disney+. Some spoilers below.
Ironheart Official Synopsis
Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s “Ironheart” pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), 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).The series also stars Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam and Anji White. Chinaka Hodge is head writer; episodes are directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes. Executive producers include Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Zoie Nagelhout, Chinaka Hodge, Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler. Produced in association with Proximity Media.
Review – Ironheart is a Real Look at the Real World of a Teen Superhero
Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as the primary instigator of the plot device that drove the events of the film. As the unwitting creator of a Vibranium detector tool that the U.S. government was using to find and mine the precious resource predominantly controlled by Wakanda, Riri became the source that caused the war between Wakanda and Talokan. Ultimately, the events of that film helped Riri learn from another young Black tech genius in Wakanda’s Shuri (Letitia Wright), which provided the best internship one could ask for.
In Ironheart, Riri returns to her life as a not-so-normal student too brilliant even for MIT, and yet too broke for her ultimate superhero desires. The series is an interestingly genuine look at what a young, Black, tech genius, superhero would go through in the real world, facing frustration from family, friends and school staff who don’t fully understand her. Superhero stories are often wish fulfillment stories, with characters like Tony Stark or T’Challa having not only all the abilities we would want, but all the resources as well.
That’s not the case here for Riri, who gets expelled from MIT for trying to make money through some of the shame unauthorized means we saw in Wakanda Forever – selling her genius to rich students desperate to get ahead. With nothing but the armor she built from her Tony Stark Fellowship, Riri returns to her hometown of Chicago, with the same uncertain future that many young teens struggle with.
Just like many teens in similar situations, Riri finds herself vulnerable to some unsavory characters offering her a chance to finance her dreams. Led by Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), known as The Hood, Riri joins a team of hackers and extortionists that includes John (Manny Montana), Ros (Zhaleh), Jeri (Zoe Terakes), Slug (Jaren Merrell), and Clown (Sonia Denis). The plan is to steal from the rich tech leaders in the city to build the long term wealth that they think they deserve. For Riri, this feels like the only way she can finance her own tech and build the suit of armor that she so desperately desires.
Of course, things don’t go nearly as planned, and Riri eventually finds herself at odds with the crew and its increasingly deranged leader. Fortunately, Riri has her own support system, with her personal AI built on the memory of her best friend, Natalie (Lyric Ross) and her friends and family.
The series is rich with a variety of different characters from different backgrounds that all add a unique and interesting flavor to the MCU. Even the fact that it’s set in Chicago, while a substantial majority of MCU films take place in New York, adds a perspective to Ironheart that sets it apart from other stories.
What’s refreshing about Riri’s characterization in particular is that she is not a finished superhero and very much a teen girl trying to find her way. That’s hard enough for regular teens, let alone tech geniuses who have seen the world beyond. Riri recognizes what most of us have had to come to terms with – she needs money to survive and to thrive.
Dominique Thorne juggles that various elements of the character and story perfectly, showing the fun and excitement that comes with being a hero, and the burden and frustration that tags along. As we know, with great power comes great responsibility, and Thorne shows how hard it is to shoulder that responsibility with grace and relatability.
The show’s supporting cast is exceptional, with Lyric Ross, Matthew Elam and Regan Aliyah playing characters critical to Riri’s community and strength. Ross in particular plays an AI mapped from Riri’s own brain and based on her childhood best friend. The two have a hilarious and endearing dynamic that form the heart of the series. Unlike Iron Man’s Jarvis, Friday or Edith, Natalie is hyper real and doesn’t just exist to answer Riri’s commands. Instead, she’s a true friend who genuinely cares for Riri.
As strong Riri and many of the supporting characters are, Anthony Ramos’ Parker fell short. Parker is the crew’s leader and eventually Riri’s primary antagonist. But while the series makes an effort to develop Parker’s backstory and elicit some sympathy, there isn’t enough depth or nuance to make the character interesting enough. Instead, Parker borders on feeling like the stereotypical mustache-twirling villain with daddy issues, which is exacerbated by his dealings with Ehrenreich’s character. Visually, a character that looks like a menacing Little Red Riding Hood is not easy to pull off, and while Marvel Studios has a history of making silly looking characters look cool, Parker’s design did not measure up.
On a larger level, it’s difficult to watch Riri’s on-going adventures following the events of Wakanda Forever without constantly wondering where Shuri and the Wakandans are. It’s the kind of superhero shared universe problem that many stories have. In a world with the Avengers, where are they in every threatening situation? Similarly, one can’t help but constantly wonder why the Wakandans aren’t showing up to save Riri. The series offers a half-hearted explanation as to why that doesn’t happen, but it’s far from satisfying. Further, the story leans heavily into Riri’s connection to Tony Stark in a variety of ways, and seems to lean away from her connections to Wakanda, which feels odds given the character’s introduction to the MCU.
There is a big reveal at the end of the series that is sure to have fans talking, and will have major implications for the future of the MCU. This reveal is likely the reasoning behind Marvel Studios’ decision to release the series in just two weeks. The faster the reveal is out there, the more attention this series will receive, and that’s good thing because there’s so much more to explore.
Rating – 4/5 Pocky
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
