Ryan Coogler is expanding the Marvel universe once again—this time with “Ironheart,” a bold new series that puts Black brilliance front and center. The latest trailer gives fans their first look at Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, a tech prodigy stepping into her own legacy after her debut in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Backed by a powerhouse team of Black women, “Ironheart” is less about following in Iron Man’s footsteps and more about building something entirely new.
Set after the events of the 2022 “Black Panther” sequel, “Ironheart” follows Riri’s character as she returns to her hometown of Chicago on a mission to make her mark on the world.
“Ironheart is such a great character in publishing,” the show’s executive producer, Coogler, said in a statement shared with theGrio. “In 2016, Brian Michael Bendis created a character who would be a successor of sorts to the Iron Man legacy.”
“Ironheart” fuses science and spirit, innovation and identity, as Riri navigates what it means to be a young Black genius while facing off with forces that push back against everything she stands for.
“In the comic book, Riri Williams and Tony Stark [Iron Man] had a relationship—she was a student at MIT who came from an almost polar opposite background as Tony, but they came together in their passion to better society. Eventually, the character gets her own identity as Ironheart, and other writers like Eve Ewing picked up from there, taking Riri Williams to Chicago,” Coogler explained.
In true Coogler fashion, the series is anchored by vision and community, and this time, it’s steered by a team of Black women. With Chinaka Hodge as the series’ head writer and episodes directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes and co-executive produced by his wife Zinzi Coogler, “Ironheart” is rooted in Black creativity, brilliance, and storytelling.
The cast also includes Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White.
Ironheart premieres June 6 on Disney+.
