Ironheart: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, story details, and more on the Marvel Phase 5 TV show

Riri Williams flying in her white supersuit over a river in Marvel's Ironheart TV show
Ironheart is the final project that'll be released as part of Marvel Phase 5 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Ironheart: key information

- Launches in Disney+ in late June with a three-episode premiere
- Final three episodes will arrive one week later in early July
- Trailers released in mid-May and early June
- Dominique Thorne returns as Riri Williams/Ironheart
- Numerous supporting cast members confirmed
- Story synopsis revealed
- No word on whether a second season will be made

Ironheart has engaged its thrusters and taken flight on Disney+. Marvel's latest live-action series made its debut on June 24 or 25 depending on where you live.

With Ironheart out now, you'll want the full lowdown on what to expect before you watch it. In this guide, I've compiled the latest and most important information on the forthcoming show, including its trailers, confirmed cast, plot specifics, and more. Before reading on, though, check out my Ironheart review to see if it's worth watching.

Major spoilers follow for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, i.e. the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie that Riri Williams/Ironheart first appeared in. So, proceed at your own risk.

Ironheart release date

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As mentioned, Ironheart will take flight with a three-episode premiere on Tuesday, June 24 in the US, and Wednesday, June 25 in the UK and Australia. Fans in other countries will be able to watch the final Marvel Phase 5 TV show on one of these dates, too.

Last October, Disney confirmed Ironheart would be part of its 2025 TV line-up. However, considering principal photography wrapped in late 2022, fans have wondered why it's only just being released now. Find out why Ironheart has taken so long to come out, according to some of its producers.

As for when the series' three remaining episodes will air, check out my Ironheart release schedule article.

Ironheart trailer

Marvel Television's Ironheart | Official Trailer 2 | Disney+ - YouTube Marvel Television's Ironheart | Official Trailer 2 | Disney+ - YouTube
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Released just over three weeks before the show launched, Ironheart's official trailer revealed Williams will get a magic-infused supersuit at some point. Oh, and it also teased an MCU villain's arrival that fans have waited over four years for.

Missed Ironheart's first trailer when it debuted online in mid-May? Check it out below:

Marvel Television's Ironheart | Official Trailer | Disney+ - YouTube Marvel Television's Ironheart | Official Trailer | Disney+ - YouTube
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There's plenty more footage to pore over ahead of the series' launch as well. Check out Ironheart's first full clip, which has fans singing the praises of Anthony Ramos' take on The Hood (more on him in this article's cast section) or watch its behind-the-scenes featurette below, which includes more details about its development.

Marvel Television's Ironheart | Legacy of Riri Williams | Disney+ - YouTube Marvel Television's Ironheart | Legacy of Riri Williams | Disney+ - YouTube
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Before all of the above was revealed, Marvel unveiled Ironheart's first official footage as part of a Disney+ sizzle reel teaser celebrating its 85th birthday last August. That's all we were treated to until this wave of new footage, too, so it was slim pickings for a while there!

Ironheart confirmed cast

Riri Williams working on something as her super-suit stands in the background in Ironheart

Who's joining Dominique Thorne (pictured) in Ironheart? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Possible spoilers follow for Ironheart.


Here are the actors you'll see, plus the characters they'll play, in Ironheart:

  • Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams/Ironheart
  • Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins/The Hood
  • Lyric Ross as Natalie Washington
  • Alden Ehrenreich as Joe McGillicuddy
  • Manny Montana as Cousin John
  • Matthew Elam as Xavier Washington
  • Anji White as Ronnie Williams
  • LaRoyce Hawkins as Gary Williams
  • Regan Aliyah as Zelma Stanton
  • Cree Summer as Madeline
  • Eric André as Stuart Clarke/Rampage
  • Sonia Denis as Clown
  • Shea Couleé as Slug
  • Zoe Terakes as Jeri
  • Shakira Barrera as Roz
  • Harper Anthony as Landon

For more information on the above, you'll want to read my Ironheart cast and character guide. There's plenty in there to keep you busy, too, including where you may have seen the aforementioned actors before and more about the MCU characters they portray.

A smiling Mephisto stands in front of a raging fire in Hell in a screenshot from a Marvel comic book

Will the demon lord Mephisto make his live-action debut in Ironheart? (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

On the rumors front, Sacha Baron Cohen has reportedly been cast as the Marvel demon lord called Mephisto. Given The Hood will dabble in the dark side of the Mystic Arts, this isn't as big a stretch as it sounds, but it would make a change from The Hood's comic book origins. Indeed, in the source material, Dormammu is the source of his powers, not Mephisto.

Regardless, if Mephisto shows up, it'll mean Ironheart will include a previously rumored WandaVision villain. MCU fans were convinced that Mephisto was the primary villain of that Elizabeth Olsen-starring TV show for much of its run. However, Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness was eventually revealed to be WandaVision's antagonist.

Ironheart story synopsis and speculation

Ironheart flipping a truck at night in her self-titled Disney+ TV show

Will Ironheart prove to be a truck-flipping good time? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Potential spoilers follow for Ironheart.


Here's Ironheart's official plot brief: "Set after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel Television’s Ironheart pits technology against magic when Riri Williams – a young, genius inventor 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."

This kind of synopsis is par for the course for Marvel projects, but Ironheart's cast and crew have given us some other hints about the character's standalone MCU story.

A smiling Parker Robbins sitting at a desk in Ironheart

Parker Robbins is expected to be the primary antagonist of this Marvel TV Original (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Let's get one thing straight for we proceed: Ironheart isn't replacing Tony Stark as the MCU's new Iron Man-like hero. Long-time Marvel fans will know that the pair had a teacher-student relationship in the comics, which is something executive producer Ryan Coogler touches on in the BTS featurette above.

However, discussing the series in the aforementioned vignetee, Marvel's Head of Television Brad Winderbaum said of the MCU's take on Williams/Ironheart: "The story of Ironheart is not one about the mantle of Iron Man getting passed. If anything, it's the opposite."

"It's about her proving herself and shaping her own legacy," Zoie Nagelhout, another of the show's executive producers, added. In short, even if she's partly inspired by Stark's work, this is a tale about Williams becoming a hero in her own right.

"She’s not Tony Stark," Thorne added in a separate conversation with SFX Magazine. "She doesn't have a billion dollars at her disposal. She doesn't have the resources... she doesn’t have the mentorship, or the guidance. So, what does it look like for someone like The Hood to enter her sphere now, where she is vulnerable and reflecting? It does set the stage for a very interesting journey ahead."

A close up of Riri Williams with her supersuit's mask open to show her face in Ironheart on Disney+

Ironheart will ask the question: who are you without the suit? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Well, eventually. At first, The Hood and his gang of misfits seemingly want to help Williams achieve her ambitions of creating a suit that can rival Iron Man's. However, while the trailers and BTS featurette confirm Williams will succeed in this endeavor, it's unclear how much of a role The Hood and company will play in its development. Yes, the magic-infused supersuit suggests they'll have a big say in its creation, but I'm not sure how much involvement they'll actually have.

What is clear is how much time has passed since Wakanda Forever's ending. Per Ironheart's BTS video, head writer Chinaka Hodge revealed it takes place "in the days after" Black Panther 2. So, while many other Marvel films and TV shows are set in the MCU's "present" (i.e. around 2026/2027), this series is apparently taking a step back and is set in mid-2025.

Riri Williams looks up from working on her Ironheart suit at a bench in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Thorne's Williams made her MCU debut in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

But I digress. If you haven't picked up on it by now, Ironheart's story will be a battle between two very different forms of creation: science (or, to be more specific, technology) and magic.

That's a given when you consider Williams and The Hood occupy the roles of each field's creator-in-chief in this series. However, as Marvel President Kevin Feige pointed out at D23 Expo 2022 (per The Direct), this is the first time these opposing forces will clash in an MCU production.

"[The Hood], from the comics, he deals in the dark arts," Feige said. "He deals in magic. Riri is a technologist. We've had technological heroes and villains. We've had supernatural people dealing with magic. We've never had the two at the same time, so seeing Riri go up against [The Hood] in a way that is very unique is what I think I'm most excited for."

Here's hoping there's more than an air of creativity when these characters collide physically, then, and we don't have to sit through more bland, VFX-infused battles where the hero's skillset mirrors that of the villain's.

What Marvel movies and shows do I need to watch before Ironheart?

The new Black Panther stands in a cave in the Jabari tribe's territory in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the only Marvel production you need to stream before Ironheart (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

There's only one major Marvel production you need to watch on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services, before Ironheart is released. That's Black Panther 2, aka one of the best Marvel movies of recent years. However, given Ironheart's comic book ties to Tony Stark, plus this show's dark magic dabblings, you may want to rewatch Iron Man and Doctor Strange, too.

Williams/Ironheart has also appeared in season 3 of the animated MCU TV show What If...?. This series has no bearing on Ironheart's journey in the MCU, though, it isn't necessary to watch it.

Not signed up to Disney+ yet, but want to know how much it costs? Read our Disney+ price guide.

How will Ironheart impact the MCU?

A close up of Riri Williams' magic-infused supersuit's HUD in Marvel's Ironheart TV show

Is this the last time we'll see Ironheart in the MCU? Probably not (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The short answer is: I don't know. Ironheart could've become a fundamental part of the MCU if her solo series had released sooner – in fact, given her comparisons to a certain Tony Stark and his superhero alter-ego in Iron Man, Thorne's Williams could've been his natural MCU successor.

With Disney shaking things up at Marvel Studios since Ironheart was greenlit and the latter failing to capitalize on her potential popularity post-Wakanda Forever, though, the character's MCU fate is up in the air.

If Ironheart is a hit, it's possible she could get a second season, and also join the cast of Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. However, should the series struggle to leave an impression, Williams could find herself relegated to the side lines.

Land somewhere in-between the two and, given her relative age, she may join the ranks of the MCU's long-rumored Young Avengers (or Champions, whatever they'll be called...) production. Until her show ends, then, we're none the wiser about what impact Ironheart will have on Marvel's cinematic juggernaut.


For more MCU-based coverage, read my guides on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Daredevil: Born Again season 2.

Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.