Marvel just can’t stop tinkering with its universe. With Ironheart, the studio ends Phase 5 on Disney+ — and while the new series has sparks of potential, it’s more of a flicker than a flame.
Remember Riri Williams? The young tech prodigy who popped up in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? She’s back and front-and-center this time. Played by Dominique Thorne, Riri is now at M.I.T., dreaming big — building her own Iron Man-inspired battle suit. But instead of billionaire funding or fancy labs, she’s stuck doing classmates’ projects for cash. Big brains, small budget.
When M.I.T. gives her the boot, Riri heads back home to Chicago. There, things take a turn — she crosses paths with a magical-cloak-wearing gang leader (played by Anthony Ramos) and finds herself tangled up in a world of crime, capes, and questionable choices.
Now, let’s get one thing straight: Ironheart isn’t awful. It’s a decent, grounded attempt at character-driven storytelling. But it doesn’t exactly soar, either. The action scenes? Kind of flat. The suit? Looks cool, sure — but there’s not much new in terms of fight choreography or innovation. Think less Iron Man, more Iron Meh.
The show tries to mix in Marvel mysticism — introducing new faces from across the multiverse, with one surprise character linked to Doctor Strange’s world (hello Zelma Stanton!) — but it never fully commits to the magical weirdness or the superhero spectacle. It hovers somewhere in the middle.
Riri’s story should feel powerful. A young Black woman stepping into the superhero spotlight, balancing personal trauma with high-tech heroism? That’s big stuff. But the writing doesn’t quite get under her skin. Instead, she feels like an idea — a checklist of themes (race, gender, trauma, genius) — more than a fully formed character you root for.
Thorne tries her best — she’s expressive, and her eyes do a lot of heavy lifting — but the show keeps her too boxed in. Ironically, she feels more alive in her non-Marvel roles. Here, the energy feels a bit too controlled, a bit too... corporate. Her co-stars, especially Lyric Ross as Riri’s friend Natalie, seem to be having more fun with their parts.
Created by poet and screenwriter Chinaka Hodge, Ironheart has flashes of ambition. It wants to say something about moral choices and social context. But it doesn’t show those ideas in a compelling way — not like Black Panther did under Ryan Coogler’s direction (who returns here as executive producer).
Bottom line? Ironheart is more of a slow burn than a blazing return. It won’t push you to abandon Marvel, but it won’t reignite your fandom either. A respectable effort, but not quite the arc reactor jolt the MCU needs right now.
★ FANZOID RATING: 3.5/5
Fuel your fandom, but maybe keep your expectations in eco-mode for this one.
