Ironheart has made her grand return — only this time, it’s on the small screen.
Fans were first introduced to the Marvel Comics character in the 2022 film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. But a spinoff miniseries following young inventor Riri Williams has been in the works since December 2020.
“They actually positioned it as wanting to make the show, wanting to make the series,” Dominique Thorne, who plays Riri, told The Hollywood Reporter of knowing her character’s arc would continue outside Black Panther. “And said, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll introduce her in Wakanda Forever.’ ”
The show features a stellar cast, including Thorne reprising the titular role, along with This Is Us alum Lyric Ross and Hamilton star Anthony Ramos. Disney+ released the series’ first three episodes on June 24.
It’s confirmed that the show will be part of Phase Five of the MCU, which kicked off in February 2023 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and will wrap in July 2025 with the finale of Ironheart.
From how it will fit into the MCU to the creative team behind the series, here’s everything to know about Ironheart.
What is Ironheart about?
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Per the official tagline from Disney+, the limited series follows Riri Williams, “a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.”
After her adventures in Wakanda, Riri returns home to Chicago and becomes wrapped up with “the mysterious yet charming” Parker Robbins, a.k.a. The Hood (Ramos).
Thorne told Deadline in June 2025 that despite her character being all about science and technology, she will face the “more mystical side of things” in the series.
“We definitely see her family, her mother try to kind of welcome her into that in a very rudimentary way and also really spiritual way that she is not at all interested in,” the actress said. “So I think it’s a hilarious journey and also a really tempting journey that we see her go on once she realizes the full extent and capability of the magic side of the world.”
How does Ironheart fit into the MCU?
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Ironheart takes place after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, according the show’s official synopsis. In the movie, Riri, an MIT student, is scouted by Shuri (Letitia Wright), the princess of Wakanda, after she creates a supersuit that rivals Iron Man’s — and attracts unwanted visitors to her door.
To protect her, Shuri takes Riri to Wakanda, where she fights alongside her against Namor and the armies of Talokan. In the end, Shuri’s mom, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), dies saving Riri’s life, making Shuri the new leader of Wakanda.
Ironheart picks up after Riri returns to Chicago and embarks on her own journey.
Who is in the cast of Ironheart?
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After making her MCU debut in the Black Panther sequel, Thorne reprises her role as Riri Williams/Ironheart in the series.
Meanwhile, Ross is Riri’s best friend Natalie Washington and Ramos is The Hood. Additionally, Jim Rash reprises his role as the Dean of MIT from Captain America: Civil War.
Other cast members include Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Matthew Elam, Anji White, Harper Anthony, Shea Couleé, Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón and Cree Summer.
Who created Ironheart?
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Ryan Coogler — who directed Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — is as an executive producer on the series.
“We always knew there was a possibility of building out her entire world,” he told The Hollywood Reporter of continuing Riri’s story. “The city of Chicago hadn’t been explored in the MCU yet, we were really excited about doing that. It was a great opportunity to find some incredible creatives.”
In addition to creating the series, Chinaka Hodge serves as the head writer for the show. Francesca J. Gailes, Jacqueline Gailes, Malarie Howard and Amir K. Sulaiman are also writers for the series.
How many episodes does Ironheart have?
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There will be a total of six episodes in the series, with Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes each directing three.
Where can I watch Ironheart?
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The first three episodes of Ironheart are available to stream on Disney+, and the last three episodes will be released on July 1.
Both Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are also available to stream on Disney+.
