Ironheart release date, cast, plot, and more on the Disney Plus show

Riri Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Ironheart has arrived in the MCU with a bang. Riri Williams made her on-screen debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, showing off her skills in the lab and winning us over in the process with her one-liners. It's only right, then, that the MIT student and genius inventor is getting her own series on Disney Plus, coming our way next year. 

Dominique Thorne is back as Riri, and she'll be joined by Anthony Ramos as The Hood – and maybe reportedly a certain comedian as the mysterious villain Mephisto. We've got your complete guide to the Ironheart Disney Plus series below, including the show's release window, casting information, and a breakdown of the first footage that was shown behind closed doors. 

Ironheart release window

A logo for Ironheart

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Ironheart doesn't have an exact release date, but the show is set to arrive on Disney Plus in Fall 2023 as part of Marvel Phase 5. There will be six episodes in the series.

Ironheart cast 

Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

(Image credit: Disney)

Dominique Thorne will play Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart, a role she played in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A student at MIT, she's a genius inventor who builds a suit of armor that rivals Iron Man's. 

In the Heights' Anthony Ramos is Parker Robbins, AKA The Hood, a shady character who deals with the dark arts and magic, while This is Us' Lyric Ross plays Riri's best friend, and Community's Jim Rash plays the Dean of MIT, a role he previously played in Captain America: Civil War

Meanwhile, Manny Montana (Good Girls), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Shea Couleé (Ru Paul's Drag Race), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Shakira Barrera (GLOW), Rashida Olayiwola (Insecure), Sonia Denis (A Black Lady Sketch Show), Paul Calderón (Fear the Walking Dead), Cree Summer (Big Hero 6: The Series), and newcomers Harper Anthony and Regan Aliyah have been cast in undisclosed roles.

Sacha Baron Cohen is rumored to be playing the villainous Mephisto in the series, but this has yet to be confirmed by Marvel. 

Ironheart trailer description

Dominique Thorne in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The first teaser trailer for Ironheart was shown behind closed doors at D23 and it's not available to watch online yet. Luckily, however, we were in the room where it happened.

In the clip, Riri has a suit of armor – which may belong to Tony Stark, Rhodey, or someone else entirely – and says "I want to build something like that, but better." It also gives the first look at Ramos as The Hood, as well as confirming the return of Jim Rash's Dean of MIT.

Ironheart plot speculation

Dominique Thorne in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The plot of Ironheart is being kept under wraps at the moment, with Marvel yet to release an official synopsis. However, based on Riri's escapades in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we have some idea of what she might get up to in the series.

Seeing as the Dean of MIT is going to play a role in the show, it's safe to assume that at least some of the action will take place on campus, so we expect to see her struggling to balance classes and being a superhero. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we also saw Riri's base in a garage in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she carries out her work and where her suit is kept. We know that her family lives in Chicago, so we may see her head to the Windy City at some point, too. 

Having fought side by side with Shuri and the Dora Milaje to help protect Wakanda, we know we can expect big things from Riri Williams in Ironheart. Especially if she's going up against The Hood and Mephisto. Based on Mephistopheles, a demon character from the Faust legend, the immortal Mephisto was introduced as an antagonist to Silver Surfer and Ghost Rider's Johnny Blaze in the comics back in the 1960s. Throughout his run, he faced off against Doctor Strange and Spider-Man a number of times, too.


For more of your Marvel needs, check out our guides to all the new Marvel movies and shows coming soon and Marvel Phase 5.

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.