Ironheart premiered on Disney+ with its first three episodes on June 24, 2025, followed by its other three episodes on July 1. It is the conclusion ofPhase Five of the MCU. The series received generally positive reviews from critics, but became subject to areview bombing campaign ahead of its release.
Dominique Thorne asRiri Williams / Ironheart: AnMIT student and genius inventor from Chicago who created a suit of armor likethe one built byTony Stark / Iron Man.[4] Thorne explained thatIronheart would give a "deeper dive" into Riri after the character was previewed in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) filmBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), saying the series helps explain her background and upbringing that made her the person seen inWakanda Forever, as well as dealing with the events of that film and how they change her outlook on being Ironheart.[5] She read Ironheart comic books byBrian Michael Bendis andEve Ewing to help understand the character's relationship with her father.[6] Executive producerSev Ohanian said Riri would be going down a "break[ing] bad" path, similar to the antiheroesWalter White from theBreaking Bad franchise andTony Soprano from the television seriesThe Sopranos (1999–2007).[7] Alyse Elna Lewis portrays a young Riri.[8]
Lyric Ross asNatalie Washington andN.A.T.A.L.I.E.: Natalie is Riri's deceased best friend that she turns into her in-suitartificial intelligence (AI) N.A.T.A.L.I.E., short for Neuro Autonomous Technical Assistant and Laboratory Intelligence Entity.[9] Kent Churchill portrays a young Natalie.[8]
Cree Summer as Madeline Stanton: Ronnie's flamboyant friend, Zelma's mother,[9] and a formerKamar-Taj trainee who runs a joint candy and magic shop[15][16]
Sonia Denis asClown: A pyrotechnics specialist and member of Parker's gang[10]
Shea Couleé asSlug: A hacker fromMadripoor and member of Parker's gang. Slug is a formerdrag queen who wants to redistribute wealth from the privileged to the Chicago community, and usesnon-binary pronouns.[17]
Zoe Terakes asJeri Blood: The muscle of Parker's gang and former athlete-turned-street fighter who is Roz's brother[9]
Anthony Ramos asParker Robbins / The Hood: A gang leader and former ally-turned-enemy of Riri's who dons a cloak that allows him to tap into dark arts and magic. Ramos said Parker was complex and a misfit who "wants to take in other misfits and show the world that you looked at us as outcasts but we're going to end up on top".[19] Parker is from the Chicago neighborhoodHumboldt Park, being raised by his mother, who is part of thePuerto Rican street gang-turned activist organization, theYoung Lords; in the comics, Parker is from New York City.[5] Executive producerRyan Coogler said Parker and Riri are two sides of the same coin, and the two bond over their shared quest for greatness.[20]
Sacha Baron Cohen asMephisto: A powerful extra-dimensional demon who originally gave Parker his cloak.[16][24] According to executive producerZoie Nagelhout, Mephisto allowed for an "interesting and heightened way to tie together the characters' journeys" in the series, particularly Riri's.[25] Cohen worked with trainer Alfonso Moretti to achieve a more "buff" physique quickly for the role. The rapid change in Cohen's body because of his training required a few alterations to his Mephisto costume to still be able to fit him.[26]
Recurring in the series are Harper Anthony as Landon, a neighborhood boy who charges Riri for odd jobs;LaRoyce Hawkins as Gary Williams, Riri's late stepfather;[9] Tanya Christiansen as Heather, Zeke's neighbor;[8][27][28] and Zhaleh as Sheila Zarate, the CEO of TNNL.[8] RapperSaba appears as himself.[29]
Riri Williams is expelled fromMIT for selling her work to other students to plagiarize. She takes her new suit of armor home to Chicago, still grieving the deaths of her best friendNatalie Washington and stepfather Gary from a drive-by shooting. Riri reconnects with Natalie's brother Xavier, and is recruited byJohn into "The Hood," a gang of thieves led by his cousinParker Robbins, who possesses a mysterious cloak. Riri narrowly escapes a gas-filled elevator as her first test. Needing money to improve her suit, she agrees to join them for three heists. At home, Riri lashes out at her mother Ronnie over the loss of their loved ones, andmaps out her own brain to create a built-inAI for her suit, but her unprocessed grief results in a digital recreation of Natalie.
2
"Will the Real Natalie Please Stand Up?"
Sam Bailey
Malarie Howard
June 24, 2025 (2025-06-24)
Struggling to come to terms with the AIN.A.T.A.L.I.E., Riri meets Parker's gang — hacker Slug, fighters Jeri and Roz Blood, pyrotechnician Clown, and knife-wielding John. They target TNNL, a company converting Chicago's freight tunnels into a private highway at the expense of local communities. Riri blackmails Joe McGillicuddy, a black market arms collector inEvanston, for parts to complete her suit, while N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is discovered by Ronnie. The heist is nearly derailed when N.A.T.A.L.I.E. reconnects to Riri's suit, but they successfully sabotage TNNL, allowing Parker to extort the CEO into placing the gang on the company's payroll. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. freezes when held at gunpoint by a guard and Parker intervenes, bending the path of his own bullet. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. warns Riri to be wary of Parker's powers, which leaves sinister blackened veins spreading across his body.
3
"We in Danger, Girl"
Sam Bailey
Francesca Gailes & Jacqueline J. Gailes
June 24, 2025 (2025-06-24)
John reprimands Riri and Clown for touching Parker's cloak, the source of his powers, and the gang targets Heirlum, anagritech company whose innovations are harming small farmers.Stuart "Rampage" Clarke, who Riri replaced in Parker's gang, is murdered, leading her to seek help from Joe, who is revealed to beZeke Stane, son ofObadiah Stane. Zeke warns Riri against repeating Obadiah's mistakes and gives her a sample ofbiomesh skin to fool Heirlum's security system. During the heist, as Parker attempts to extort CEO Hunter Mason, Riri cuts off a piece of the cloak to analyze but triggers the security system, trapping the gang as the facilityfills with carbon dioxide. Parker kills Mason and escapes with the others, while Riri is caught and attacked by John, who admits to killing Stuart on Parker's orders. Losing Zeke's biomesh, Riri is rescued by N.A.T.A.L.I.E., leaving John to suffocate. A distraught Parker nearly renounces the cloak, but receives a vision implicating Riri for John's death.
4
"Bad Magic"
Angela Barnes
Amir Sulaiman
July 1, 2025 (2025-07-01)
In a flashback, Parker and John rob a mansion. When Parker gets caught by a security guard, John shoots the security guard as they flee in different directions. Lying to the gang, Riri fears retribution from Parker, while the biomesh is traced to Zeke, who is arrested and turns against her. Riri's paranoia leads Ronnie to seek help from her friend Madeline Stanton, a formerKamar-Taj trainee, and Madeline's daughterZelma. Examining the fragment of the cloak, the Stantons determine it is a dangerous artifact from a dark dimension that may be influencing Parker, and Ronnie shares her frustrations about Riri never opening up to her. Unable to find a way to destroy the cloak, Riri has a panic attack and N.A.T.A.L.I.E. summons Xavier, who is horrified by N.A.T.A.L.I.E. emulating his late sister and demands Riri delete the AI. Hurt, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. departs with the suit while the gang breaks Zeke out of jail and assists him in implanting himself with bionic enhancements. Revealing that Riri is responsible for John's death, Parker sends the gang to kill her.
5
"Karma's a Glitch"
Angela Barnes
Cristian Martinez
July 1, 2025 (2025-07-01)
Slug captures N.A.T.A.L.I.E. and the suit while Riri meets with Zelma, who believes the cloak came fromDormammu, atWhite Castle. Ambushed by the Blood Siblings and Clown, Riri fights them off and tells Clown that John killed Stuart. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. breaks free but is still angry with Riri, who is attacked by a bionically-enhanced Zeke. He dismantles Riri's suit, but spares her life. Riri turns to her mother for help. Zeke and Clown lie that Riri is dead as the gang turns on Parker for having Stuart killed. He fires them all. Parker takes control of Zeke's upgraded body to break into the home of Parker's wealthy father Arthur Robbins, who has a controlling interest in the companies he targeted, and forces him to sign over everything at gunpoint. Reconciling with Ronnie, N.A.T.A.L.I.E., and Xavier, Riri builds a new suit in Gary's garage using the car they were restoring with help from Zelma and Landon. Zelma powers the suit with magic, but N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is deleted in the process.
6
"The Past Is the Past"
Angela Barnes
Chinaka Hodge
July 1, 2025 (2025-07-01)
In a flashback following the attempted robbery of his father's house, Parker is approached byMephisto when cornered on both sides of the tunnel by the security guards. He offers to help him achieve his desire for power, respect, and wealth. Acceptingthe deal, Parker is given Mephisto's hooded cloak. In the present, Parker accuses Mephisto of not fulfilling their bargain and Mephisto offers more power if Parker can retain the cloak. Unable to recreate N.A.T.A.L.I.E., Riri ignores her family and friends' advice and goes to Parker's hideout, fighting a reluctant Zeke before freeing him from Parker's control. Fully corrupted by the hood, Parker battles Riri and appears to gain the upper hand, but Riri dupes him with a hologram and takes off the cloak leaving him desperate and powerless. Downstairs, Mephisto reveals his identity to Riri while scoffing and laughing that Riri thought he was Dormammu. He offers her own deal which she accepts on the condition her loved ones are left alone. Later at the garage, Natalie appears restored to life and Riri hugs her as the veins of Mephisto spread across Riri's arm. In amid-credits scene, Parker visits the Stantons' store and asks Zelma for help in obtaining some big magic.
BecauseIronheart was developed prior to Marvel Studios' late 2023 shift towards multi-season television series, they were taking a "wait-and-see approach" by May 2025 regarding if it would get a second season.[38]
Malarie Howard, Francesca Gailes, Jacqueline J. Gailes, Amir Sulaiman, and Cristian Martinez were writers on the series alongside Hodge,[39] with the Gailes both previously writing for the Marvel Studios seriesShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022).[40]Ironheart'swriters' room for the series was set to begin in May 2021.[31] Feige felt the conflict between Riri's technology and the magic ofParker Robbins / The Hood made the series unique within the MCU.[19] Coogler saidIronheart would take the realism of the MCU's street-level television series such asDaredevil (2015–2018) and combine it with the mystical side of the franchise, asIronheart features characters that Coogler felt "would be at home" in projects such as the filmDoctor Strange (2016) and the miniseriesWandaVision (2021).[20]
Marvel Studios executiveNate Moore describedIronheart as a direct sequel toWakanda Forever,[41] with the events of the series taking place six months after that film.[42][43] The series explores the repercussions of Riri's experiences inWakanda Forever when she returns to her home;[41] this includes her being expelled fromMIT for skipping classes and using too many of the university's resources, which causes her to engage in illegal activities—such as joining Parker and his gang—to fund her projects.[44] Setting the series in Riri's hometown of Chicago, which Ramos called a character in its own right that is part of the identity of all the characters, gives her and the other characters choices for trying to get ahead, be it with power, money, or something else. Ramos said this affects each of the characters positively and negatively, and eventually their choices start to interweave. The writers tried to make complicated characters who were neither entirely good or evil, with starAlden Ehrenreich believing the writers presented "a psychological, emotional portrait" of each character.[5]
The series introducesMephisto, an extra-dimensional demon who had been teased to appear in the MCU sinceWandaVision, as the entity behind Parker's cloak powers. Hodge said his inclusion was "not my decision alone" but was "empowered" by the Marvel team to feature him inIronheart,[24] and called the introduction "a really powerful tool". Coogler enjoyed the fact that Mephisto first appears in this series, instead of one likeWandaVision,Loki (2021–2023), orAgatha All Along (2024), where audiences would least expect him to. The creatives initially considered following the comics and having the cloak's powers come fromDormammu, who was seen inDoctor Strange and who Nagelhout said "would have been very exciting to play with", before realizing that Mephisto represented a better "thematic fit" for the series with regards to "ambition, cost, and what you're willing to give up for the things you want";[25] Mephisto makes a deal with Riri that brings back her dead best friend Natalie. Hodge explained that this choice sets up Riri "to make big, grown woman decisions in the MCU" while Thorne was "excited" that her character "doesn't have to walk the traditional hero path". Thorne added that Riri's choice was a reinforcement of her mentality towards not being overly committed to being a hero, first seen inWakanda Forever.[24] Coogler believed it made sense for Riri to make the deal since she has always been wanted and to be seen for her potential, which Mephisto does.[25]
Mephisto, played bySacha Baron Cohen, is introduced to the MCU with the series, after his inclusion was speculated on since 2021.[24]
Dominique Thorne was revealed to have been cast as Riri Williams / Ironheart with the series' announcement,[4] after Marvel Studios offered her the role withoutauditioning;[45] Thorne had previously auditioned forBlack Panther and was told then by Marvel Studios that they wanted to work with her on a future project once she had more experience.[46] In February 2022, Anthony Ramos joined the series as Parker Robbins / The Hood,[47][19] described as a key role and the series' main antagonist.[47][48]Deadline Hollywood reported that his role would expand to other MCU projects, similar to howJonathan Majors appeared asHe Who Remains in thefirst season ofLoki (2021) ahead of his appearance asKang the Conqueror in the filmAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).[47] Later that month,Lyric Ross was cast as Riri's best friend.[48] Newcomer Harper Anthony joined the cast in an undisclosed role by April,[49] followed byManny Montana in June.[50] A month later, Alden Ehrenreich joined the cast in another key role.[51]
From August to October 2022,Shea Couleé,[52]Zoe Terakes,[53] Regan Aliyah,[54]Shakira Barrera,[55] Rashida "Sheedz" Olayiwola,[56] Sonia Denis,[57]Paul Calderón,[22] andCree Summer joined the cast.[58] At theD23 Expo in September,Jim Rash was revealed to be reprising his role as the Dean ofMIT from the MCU filmCaptain America: Civil War (2016).[13] The following month,Deadline Hollywood reported thatSacha Baron Cohen had joined the MCU in a role that would see him potentially first appear in the later episodes ofIronheart followed by appearances in other MCU projects. His role was likely to be Mephisto, which would be portrayed by Baron Cohen in-person as well as through visual effects.[59][58] Director Angela Barnes suggested Cohen for the part.[25] In June 2023, Anji White was revealed as a series regular, believed to be portraying Riri's mother Ronnie.[12] AUnited States Copyright Office filing for the series in October 2023 revealed several roles: Ehrenreich as Joe McGillicuddy, Ross asNatalie Washington, Matthew Elam as Xavier Washington, White as Ronnie Williams, Montana asJohn, and Couleé asSlug. It also confirmed that Baron Cohen would appear inIronheart,[1][11] playing Mephisto in theseries finale,[24] with the character being viewed by Marvel Studios as the next "prominent" villain of the MCU.[26]
In mid-June 2025, Denis was revealed to be playingClown in the series, alongside Barrera and Terakes as siblingsRoz andJeri Blood, respectively. At that time,Eric André was announced to have been cast asStuart Clarke / Rampage.[10] He had previously been reported in late 2022 to have been cast for an episode ofAgatha All Along.[60][61] Later that month, several roles were revealed for the series: Harper Anthony as Landon, Aliyah asZelma Stanton, Summer as Madeline Stanton, andLaRoyce Hawkins as Gary Williams.[9]
Dara Taylor composed the score for the series.[84] Her theme for the series was released as a digital single byHollywood Records andMarvel Music on June 19, 2025.[85] The first volume of the soundtrack, featuring music from the first three episodes, was released on June 24.[86] A second volume soundtrack for the final three episodes was released on July 1.[87]
Footage from the series was shown at Disney'sD23 convention in September 2022.[19] Thorne and Ramos then promoted the series at Disney's May 2024upfront presentation, where the release year was announced.[88] The pair again promoted the series that August, at another D23 convention, with Coogler, Ross, Ramos, Ehrenreich, and Aliyah. Footage from the series was shown,[2][89] which Jacob Hall of/Film described as "a crime show with anIron Man twist at the center".[90] Following online leaks of the D23 footage, Marvel released an official look at Riri in her Ironheart armor within their video celebrating the company's 85th anniversary.[91] More footage from the series was included in a video released by Disney+ in October, announcing the release schedule for Marvel Television and Marvel Animation projects through the end of 2025.[92]
Footage was included in asizzle reel that was shown at Disney's upfront presentation on May 13, 2025.[93] A teaser featurette, featuring new footage as well as an interview with Coogler, was released online that day ahead of the first trailer for the series on May 14. Dais Johnston fromInverse said there had been a "surprising lack of marketing" for the series, considering how close it was to being released.[94] Germain Lussier atGizmodo also said it was nice to see "marketing ramp up" for the series. He praised the featurette for establishing character, stakes, and story with a lot of new footage.[95] Discussing the full trailer,Empire's Jordan King said it quickly established the tone of the series, making it clear that it was telling its own story about Riri rather than trying to be "Iron Man 2.0". King compared the death-trap sequence that opens the trailer to theSaw franchise.[96]
AMarvel Studios: Legends episode focusing on Riri was released on YouTube on June 13, 2025.[97] Later that month, Thorne and Ramos were surprised during aGood Morning America interview with a video message fromRobert Downey Jr.—who playedTony Stark / Iron Man in the MCU before being cast asVictor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the franchise—expressing support for the series.[98] A poster was also released featuring the episode titles. Marco Vito Oddo atComicBook.com noted that the "M" in the title "Karma's a Glitch" is "distinctly red-tinged", in contrast with the other black letters, and speculated that this was a reference to Cohen's rumored role as Mephisto.[99]
Ironheart premiered on Disney+ with its first three episodes on June 24, 2025, followed by its other three episodes on July 1.[99] Writing forInverse, Johnston expressed disappointment with the series' batched release schedule considering the small episode count, feeling Disney may be "looking to dump the whole series as soon as possible" and hoping it was "just a quirk of the Disney+ release schedule".[94]Ironheart was originally scheduled to debut in late 2023,[100] but by February of that year it was considered unlikely to premiere in 2023 as Disney and Marvel Studios were re-evaluating their content output.[101] That May, it was reported to be releasing in 2024,[102] but was removed from Marvel Studios' release schedule in September 2023, with the2023 Hollywood labor disputes affecting their ability to complete the series.[103] The next month, the series' copyright filing indicated an approximate release on September 3, 2024.[1] The June 2025 release date was announced a year later.[92] It is the final series inPhase Five of the MCU.[100]
Market research company Parrot Analytics, which examines consumer engagement across streaming, downloads, and social media, reported thatIronheart registered 17.6 times the average audience demand in the United States in June 2025, ranking in the 99th percentile for the drama genre. Demand for the series grew by 224.6 percent during that month, placing it ninth overall in the U.S. Parrot Analytics noted significant interest in international markets such as Canada and the United Kingdom.[104] Streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, which monitors daily updated VOD charts and streaming ratings across the globe, revealed thatIronheart was the most-streamed show on Disney+ following its debut on the platform.[105] Two weeks after its release, the series continued to hold the No. 1 spot in Disney+'s top ten ranking.[106]Whip Media, which tracks viewership data from over 25 million global users of its TV Time app, reported thatIronheart ranked as the third most-streamed original series in the U.S. for the week ending June 29 through July 6, before moving to tenth place for the week ending July 13.[107]Nielsen Media Research, which records streaming viewership on U.S. television screens, estimated thatIronheart was watched for 526 million minutes, ranking as the sixth most-streamed original series from June 23–29. The following week, from June 30 to July 6, it recorded 536 million minutes of viewing time, ranking seventh among original series.[108][109][110][111]
The review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reports a 77% approval rating based on 127 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Dominique Thorne ignites the MCU skies with charisma and confidence to boot, makingIronheart a worthy watch despite its conventional genre armor."[112]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 57 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average".[113]
Ben Travers ofIndieWire gave the series a B and said, "Even thoughIronheart isn't fully equipped to wrestle with the ethical arguments it introduces, the show's accessible approach still makes room for generalized lessons to sink in."[114]Lucy Mangan ofThe Guardian gave a rating of 3 out of 5 and described it as "a fast and furious business. LikeMs. Marvel, it is clearly aimed at the younger end of the fan spectrum and the pace is relentless, as if the makers are desperate not to give the audience a second to look away."[115]
Before the release of the first three episodes, the series wasreview bombed on Rotten Tomatoes andIMDb with a high number of negative audience reviews, which Casey Loving atTheWrap noted had become common for MCU projects featuring women,people of color, orLGBTQ+ individuals as leads.[116]
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