In December of 2020, Kevin Feige took to the stage and announced that not only had Dominique Throne been cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Riri Williams, but solo series Ironheart was in active development as a Disney Plus exclusive.
That feels like an eternity ago, and that’s before we even mention that new details filed with the Copyright Office have tentatively listed September of 2025 as its intended release date. If you break it down piece by piece, then the show is endemic of the Multiverse Saga’s problems as a whole.
Following Throne’s casting, she was confirmed for the cast of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which released in theaters late last year. Around the same time, principal photography for her solo project was ongoing, with Ironheart calling it a wrap in November of 2022. That means Ironheart is on course to hit Disney Plus five years after it was announced, three years after its star’s onscreen debut, and three years on from the end of shooting, which is ridiculous even by the MCU’s standards.
Having introduced so many new heroes since the beginning of the Multiverse Saga, it constantly feels as though Marvel is struggling to find meaningful things for them to do in the meantime. Take your pick from Shang-Chi, the entire Eternals roster, Kate Bishop, and America Chavez to name just a few; all wildly popular and well-received new additions who are guaranteed to return at some stage or another, but long after they first arrived to much fanfare.
Ironheart is still two years away from premiering, which is nuts, but the MCU’s downturn in quality and intention to space out its content was always going to lead to some casualties.