Marvel’s Ironheart Series Set Before Phase 5 Sparks Confusion

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As a devoted fan, I find myself puzzled about the sequence of events for Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series, “Ironheart.” Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President, unveiled this intriguing project during Disney Investor Day back in December 2020, and filming commenced from May to November 2022. This means that the series was produced before Dominique Thorne first appeared as Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which hit screens two and a half years later. It’s an unusual timeline, given that it seems we’re seeing “Ironheart” after its filming, leaving me curious about the storytelling strategies Marvel is employing for this series.

In the “Legacy of Riri Williams” preview unveiled by Marvel Studios on X, lead writer Chinaka Hodge disclosed that the series Ironheart will delve into events occurring post-release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This unusual timeline placement is intriguing because, although it serves as the final project for Phase 5, it will unfold subsequent to all other projects, directly following the finale of Phase 4, Black Panther 2.

Read more about Disney+’s latest update to the official MCU timeline order.

On the Marvel’s official platform, a post hinted at Ironheart’s ties with Wakanda Forever. The storyline unfolds when she returns to Chicago after spending time abroad, now more determined than ever to chase her aspirations and construct a novel iron suit due to her increased enthusiasm.

After the occurrences of ‘Wakanda Forever‘, ‘Ironheart ‘ delves into Riri’s journey as she heads back to her hometown of Chicago, driven to construct an advanced iron suit and leave an indelible impact on the world. Her experiences in Wakanda have only intensified her desire to realize her aspirations, and her mission draws her into a perilous realm brimming with science and sorcery.

Fans generally predict that “Black Panther 2” will be released around Spring 2025. If “Ironheart” is indeed set just a few days after, it would mark the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project of the Multiverse Saga in the post-Blip era to predominantly unfold within its release year.

In Captain America: Brave New World, an invitation to President Ross’ event sets the main plot in motion from April 2027, while it appears that Thunderbolts unfolds later in the same year. Consequently, Ironheart will seem out of sequence, taking place about two years prior to the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe events, but for a compelling reason soon to be revealed.

Starting on June 24th, Ironheart will debut with a three-episode premiere on Disney+, marking Dominique Thorne’s return as Riri Williams after more than two years. However, in the storyline, only a few days have transpired for her character since the events that took place in Wakanda.

In the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe installment, known as “Throne,” a number of fresh faces will join the cast, such as Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, and it’s said that Sacha Baron Cohen might be added as well. Notably, the sequel to “Black Panther” is also reprising an actor from the “Captain America: Civil War,” Jim Rash, who was MIT’s liaison to Tony Stark.

Here’s Why Ironheart’s Delays & Strange Timeline Placement Happened

The production of Ironheart has faced numerous setbacks; initially, it was expected to air in Fall 2023 as announced at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2022. However, subsequent changes moved its release into 2024 and, more recently, it’s been postponed yet again until June 2025, when it will eventually be available on Disney+.

Based on reports from sources like Daniel Richtman (via Reddit), it’s been suggested that the filming for Ironheart took place from February to April in the year 2024, with the specifics of these reshoots still undisclosed.

Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel Television, discussed the delays in the production of ‘Ironheart’ on ComicBook’s Phase Zero podcast. He mentioned that although there was an initial push to produce as much content for Disney+ as quickly as possible, they eventually had to space out their release dates due to some unspecified reasons.

To be straightforward, we were instructed to generate content for Disney+ at a fast pace. However, things changed, and we found ourselves needing to extend the release dates. This adjustment explains most of the delays in our projects.

Due to alterations in the release schedule, Ironheart faced a delay of nearly two years. However, Winderbaum remarked in March 2024 that this extra time is being utilized effectively and will ultimately enhance the quality of the film.

Currently, we’re utilizing this time productively instead of idling. Therefore, it remains in the oven for further baking. This could potentially enhance certain items. I believe this approach will eventually lead to improved results. However, much of it is simply debris from our professional endeavors.

Initially, it was planned for Ironheart to be released approximately a year following Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, making its timeline before the majority of Phase 5 seem more logical. However, with the passage of nearly three years, the spin-off series now faces the challenge of continuing Riri Williams’ storyline, as she has been absent from the narrative during this time.

Since the story of Ironheart occurs much earlier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), viewers shouldn’t anticipate significant connections to the current narrative arcs. As Ironheart was being developed, the MCU’s overall strategy was geared towards Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, so don’t expect any references or ties to Doomsday in this film.

This could potentially raise questions about the show’s quality, as Ironheart was created prior to Marvel Studios implementing significant behind-the-scenes adjustments aimed at improving their TV series. These adjustments have significantly benefited shows like Agatha All Along and Daredevil: Born Again, but it seems unlikely that they will have a notable impact on Ironheart due to its shorter six-episode run.

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2025-06-05 12:04