Marvel Studios has unveiled its most recent superhero show Ironheart, with the first three episodes available to stream now on Disney+. Ironheart features Riri Williams, the teenage genius played by Dominique Thorne, who was first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
In Ironheart, Riri returns to Chicago and starts to engineer an impressive suit of armor utilizing her own high-tech inventions. The show is about her development from young inventor to super-heroine.
Ironheart takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and thematically examines innovation, identity, and responsibility. One of the major conflicts arises from Parker Robbins, also known as The Hood, who uses his magical gifts and corrupt power to undermine Riri’s advanced high-tech solutions.
Riri as a superhero is grounded in science versus Robbins using sorcery in a classic superhero contrast. Ironheart is urban and has a more realistic life journey that allows the character to add a new tone to the introduction of the MCU before it brings an end to Phase Five. The remaining three episodes will be released on July 1, 2025; Ironheart is a six-part series.
Marvel's 'Ironheart' on Disney+ is an origin story of talent, grit and perseverance https://t.co/4WtgCJX93o pic.twitter.com/qh90nnGWmO
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) June 24, 2025
Early Reactions Highlight Strong Lead, Mixed Pacing
Reviews have been largely favorable of Thorne, noting her Riri Williams is both confident and genuine. She gives the show some emotional heft as the character comes off as both smart and driven. The supporting cast provide a solid support network, especially Lyric Ross as Riri's AI; bringing a strong sense of team dynamic to the group.
Chicago added a nice look and feel to the setting. Real world elements punctuated stories for a different flavor in the Marvel Universe.
Not all reactions have been so positive simply due to pacing. Some critiqued the speed was uneven, especially, in the slower moments in between action scenes. Others expressed that the storyline fluctuates between a superhero story we have seen before (with some action genre tropes like passing the baton), and newer, experimental material, that was not entirely committed to either.
The fusion of technology and magic, while not always realized, did lead to an interesting idea.
Regardless of these critical comments, Ironheart currently has a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on early review related reviews.
Ironheart is an important for Marvel, marking the introduction of younger generations of heroes as the MCU moves to its next phase.
