Ryan Coogler Breaks Down the ‘Ironheart’ Trailer
The executive producer unpacks the ‘scrappy optimism’ of Marvel Television’s new show, launching June 24 on Disney+.
Riri Williams is ready for takeoff.
The first trailer for Marvel Television’s Ironheart is here, reintroducing the brilliant young inventor Riri Williams. Dominique Thorne first brought the character to life in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and now, Riri is stepping back into the spotlight, suiting up for her own six-episode series on Disney+ (premiering June 24).
To celebrate the trailer’s launch, executive producer Ryan Coogler sat down with Marvel.com for a sneak peek at Riri’s next chapter.
“This show has an energy to it,” Coogler teases. “I think people will take to that scrappy optimism and that desire to persevere.”
Set after the events of Wakanda Forever, Ironheart follows Riri as she returns to her hometown of Chicago, determined to build a state-of-the-art iron suit and make her mark on the world. Her time in Wakanda has left her more eager than ever to pursue her dreams, and her quest entangles her in a dangerous world of science and magic.
Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato, Riri Williams made her Marvel Comics debut in 2016, introduced as a bright young MIT student who singlehandedly built an Iron Man–inspired suit in her dorm room. Coogler, a lifelong comics fans, remembers the buzz around her introduction, and he says he immediately fell in love with the character’s drive and ambition. (He directed Riri’s on-screen debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and he serves as an executive producer on Ironheart.)
“I related to it personally,” the Oscar-nominated filmmaker explains. “I’ve been that kid in a college dorm room in a town different from the town I came up in, trying to make a name for myself.”
As Riri returns to Chicago, she’s soon surrounded by a colorful squad of characters, and the cast features Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White. Perhaps the most intriguing new face is Parker Robbins, aka the Hood, a mysterious stranger played by Anthony Ramos. Coogler describes Riri and Parker as two sides of the same coin, and the two characters bond over their shared quest for greatness.
But in time, Riri discovers that her new ally might be hiding dark secrets. “It really highlights what happens when that ambition goes unchecked,” Coogler teases. “What kind of price do you pay?”
Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge and executive producer Zoie Nagelhout were particularly interested in the clash between science and magic, and as the show unfolds, the tech-minded Riri finds herself facing off against otherworldly foes. Much of the show centers on that tension between the logical and the fantastical, something the filmmakers were eager to explore.
“Riri is definitely in conversation with a street-level show like Daredevil,” Coogler teases. “You’ve got characters trying — both heroes and villains — to make do with what they have. Then you combine that with cosmic Marvel, characters who would be at home in Doctor Strange or WandaVision. That [mix] of street-level Marvel and magical Marvel is a pretty crazy combination.”
On screen, Riri has a lot in common with another iconic Marvel inventor: the late, great Tony Stark. Both Riri and Tony are brilliant engineers, of course, and they both dream of using technology to better the world around them. But the two Super Heroes come from wildly different backgrounds, and while Stark built his name as a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, Riri is far more scrappy, the kind of inventor who’ll go dumpster-diving for spare parts.
Coogler also notes that Riri is not taking over from Tony or following in his footsteps as Iron Man. Instead, she’s eager to forge her own legacy.
“That comes from publishing,” Coogler explains. “It was very quickly realized that she was her own character in her own lane. There’s a difference between [Riri] and maybe a Captain America or a Black Panther, where a mantle is being passed. This is a character who was obviously influenced by Tony Stark and inspired by him, but she is also very different and doing her own thing.”
The city of Chicago also plays a major role in Ironheart, as Riri’s family and community help shape her journey. Coogler notes that the Midwestern metropolis has a rich history, influencing American politics, culture, sports, comedy, and food, but it’s still “a part of our country that’s often overlooked.” (Highlighting often-overlooked stories is the mission statement of Coogler’s company Proximity Media, which produced Ironheart in association with Marvel Television.)
Just as the Black Panther films brought Wakanda to life through gorgeous production design and rich costuming, the Ironheart team wanted to bring that same level of detail to the show’s version of Chicago.
“It’s a place that doesn’t get its due, so the character [of Riri] is kind of perfect,” Coogler adds. “It’s this young woman who has this chip on her shoulder and this armored exterior, but inside, she’s just full of love. If that’s not Chicago, I don’t know what is.”
The result is a story that Coogler and the Ironheart team have wanted to bring to the screen for years — a story of ingenuity, tenacity, and community. He can’t wait for fans to fall in love with Riri Williams again, just as he did the first time he picked up her comics.
“We’ve been waiting so long to bring this to the world, and it’s coming at the perfect time,” Coogler says with a smile. “I’m so proud of everybody in this show and excited for folks to get to see it.”
Marvel Television’s Ironheart launches with a 3-episode premiere June 24 at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET, only on Disney+.
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