Disney+ rolled out the red carpet for press, fans, and local cosplayers to an exclusive early screening of the first two episodes of Ironheart in a glittering premiere at Nu Metro Hyde Park. The six-part series marks the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest outing, and the concluding chapter of Phase Five.
Set in the aftermath of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ironheart follows Riri Williams as she returns home to Chicago from MIT. A genius inventor with a chip on her shoulder (and a powerful armour suit of her own design), episode one eases viewers back into Riri’s world, reintroducing her grief, ambition, and emotional distance. While the visual execution is polished and the tone feels intentionally grounded, the first episode is more of a slow burn than a splashy debut. It lays important groundwork, but fails to immediately grip the audience, ultimately serving as a catch-up session on Riri’s key character traits and background for those who missed Wakanda Forever.
Thankfully this was a two-episode premiere, and in episode two, the show begins to shift gears, flexing a few of its mechanically powered muscles. There’s greater energy, more clarity in tone, and richer dynamics between the characters. The standout highlight is the casting and introduction of Alden Ehrenreich as tech ethicist Joe McGillicuddy. He brings a thoughtful, if not somewhat chaotic and paranoid, perspective that, when juxtaposed against with Riri’s guarded and often blatantly selfish behaviour, marks a turning point in the emotional texture of the show—beginning to challenge Riri in a way that feels authentic and necessary.
Fans of a certain Marvel villain will be thrilled to hear that throughout both episodes, there are carefully placed breadcrumbs pointing to something darker on the horizon. Whispers of magical interference, hints of hidden agendas, and a building tension suggest that Riri’s challenges will go far beyond the lab, and perhaps even delve into the mystical. Is a long-awaited villain finally stepping out of the shadows? The show doesn’t reveal its hand just yet—but the implications are exciting.
Whether Ironheart ultimately soars or not will depend on how well it balances Riri’s personal evolution with the broader stakes of the MCU. Based on what we’ve seen so far, the series is still finding its voice, but, with a unique setting, complex characters, and an intriguing clash between magic and machinery being teased, Ironheart may very well be Marvel’s next slow-burn success.
