Ironheart/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’. Picture by Jalen Marlowe. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.
‘Ironheart’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
Launched on Disney+ on June twenty fourth with three episodes (and three extra to comply with weekly), ‘Ironheart’ re-introduces us to Marvel Comics character Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne, who made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’).
The forged for the brand new superhero/crime drama additionally stars Anthony Ramos (‘In the Heights’), Alden Ehrenreich (‘Hail, Caesar!’), Lyric Ross (‘This is Us’), Eric André (‘The Eric André Show) and Manny Montana (‘The Mule’).
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Preliminary Ideas
Parker Robbins/The Hood (Anthony Ramos) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’. Picture courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.
Marvel’s TV output continues to be one thing of a combined bag, although issues have definitely taken an upturn with the likes of ‘Agatha All Along’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’ Now right here comes ‘Ironheart’ aiming to take care of that momentum, using the Riri Williams character from the comics whose youthful genius rivals that of Tony Stark even when her financial institution steadiness and residing scenario definitely don’t.
The Williams character was a key part of Ryan Coogler’s ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Eternally’, however couldn’t cease typically feeling like she was jammed in so as to add one thing else. And in her personal present, she’s a particular spotlight even when not the whole lot in regards to the restricted collection round her works as effectively.
Script and Course
Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’, solely on Disney+. Picture courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.
With Coogler as govt producer this time round, it’s Chinaka Hodge, a veteran of reveals akin to ‘Snowpiercer’ and ‘The Midnight Club’, who’s working ‘Ironheart’, working alongside writers Francesca Gailes, Jacqueline Gailes, Malarie Howard, Cristian Martinez and Amir Sulaiman.
The tone of ‘Ironheart’ can typically fluctuate wildly, with some scenes feeling like they arrive from a gritty, emotional drama about grief, loss PTSD or crime and others seeking to deliver some wackier, Freeform-level comedy. They don’t all the time match collectively in addition to they could.
Nonetheless, the crew has a transparent deal with on the Riri character, her needs, frustrations and trauma (her stepfather and greatest good friend have been shot lifeless in entrance of her), and so they launch her on an entertaining new journey, even managing to seek out rational the reason why she wouldn’t merely decide up the telephone and ask for assist from Shuri (Letitia Wright) and the Wakandans when issues get thorny.
Riri’s interplay with the AI she by accident created from a scan of her personal mind, which is embodied within the type of her late good friend Natalie, is all the time entertaining, the 2 written believably as greatest associates. Likewise, the moments along with her mom Ronnie are additionally efficient.
Additionally on the plus aspect is the Joe McGillicuddy character, a enjoyable addition to the story who turns into one thing extra –– and has a connection to somebody that Riri admires that you just may not see coming.
Parker Robbins/The Hood (Anthony Ramos) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’, solely on Disney+. Picture courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.
The villains are much less effectively drawn –– Parker Robbins, AKA “The Hood” and his magic outfit can’t assist however appear to be he’s cosplaying as Little Purple Using Hood typically, and the character, regardless of some much-needed depth in some household connections, is commonly written as one-note, and that word is B-flat.
Administrators Samantha Bailey and Angela Barnes deliver some various kinds to the present, nevertheless it works collectively as a complete. There are some well-conceived and realised motion set items, particularly one set at a high-tech greenhouse complicated.
Forged and Performances
Ironheart/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’. Picture courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.
Dominique Thorne has put in some nice performances up to now, together with in ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ and ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ and brings actual soul and depth to Riri. Given the area to discover the character with no need to be a part of an even bigger blockbuster tapestry, she’s all the time good right here –– whether or not she’s having a quiet second with associates or being badass.
Alden Ehrenreich is a spotlight, his Joe character one of many extra entertaining within the present. Whereas he takes a barely predictable flip afterward, Ehrenreich retains him entertaining and he performs effectively off of Thorne in moments such because the pair belting out an Alanis Morissette monitor or bonding over biotech.
Anthony Ramos struggles barely with the large unhealthy function, burdened by the truth that, for all of his creative components, Parker Robbins is a barely uninteresting dud as a personality. Ramos performs him cool and composed, principally staying away from campy villain tropes, nevertheless it doesn’t actually register.
Lyric Ross is an brisk delight as Natalie –– or at the very least the AI drawn from Riri’s recollections –– bringing wanted vitality to the collection, but additionally a wholesome sprint of emotion that helps dietary supplements our lead’s storyline.
Round Ramos is a various bunch of criminals who’re advantageous for what they must be, however the group does moderately waste the comedian abilities of Eric André as tech guru Stuart, who so desperately desires to be often called “Rampage”.
Lastly, Anji White makes an influence in a smaller function as Riri’s mom, Ronnie Williams, a lady along with her personal grief, but additionally a deep quantity of look after –– and no-nonsense angle to –– her daughter.
Last Ideas
Ironheart/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’. Picture by Jalen Marlowe. © 2024 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.
Regardless of its tonal points and a frankly unsatisfying last scene that falls into the Marvel entice of nodding to the longer term with out actually resolving the current, ‘Ironheart’ makes higher use of the Riri Williams character than ‘Wakanda Eternally’ ever might.
“Each dream has a value.”
After the occasions of Black Panther: Wakanda Eternally, know-how is pitted towards magic when Riri Williams, a younger, genius inventor decided to make her mark on… Read the Plot
What’s the plot of ‘Ironheart?
Set after the occasions of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Eternally,’ Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’ pits know-how towards magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) — a younger, genius inventor decided to make her mark on the world — returns to her hometown of Chicago.
Her distinctive tackle constructing iron fits is sensible, however in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious but charming Parker Robbins, AKA “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos).
Who stars in ‘Ironheart?
- Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams
- Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins
- Alden Ehrenreich as Joe McGillicuddy
- Manny Montana as “H.R.” John
- Lyric Ross as Natalie Washington
- Anji White as Ronnie Williams
- Eric André as Stuart Clarke/“Rampage”
Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Tv’s ‘Ironheart’, solely on Disney+. Picture courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.