For better or worse, the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was forever changed with the introduction of the Disney Plus series. The heroes and villains we were used to watching exclusively on the big screen stepped into our very homes courtesy of many TV adventures. However, there's no denying that it took a bit of time for the superhero giant to crack the code behind this new media format.
Fans pointed out that many MCU series simply felt like over-extended movies with very uneven pacing. Furthermore, many of these stories came to a definite end with the release of just one season, which was peculiar for a studio that always thinks ahead and plans out years' worth of content. Fortunately, recent releases such as Daredevil: Born Again have finally rectified both of these mistakes, giving us a slight hope for a moment that every new series moving forward will follow this new trend.
Unfortunately, it seems we might've celebrated a bit too early, as the lead of the MCU's next big show revealed we might not see a second season.
Dominique Thorne hasn't heard about a second Ironheart season yet
It seems the one-season-and-done series will continue. During an interview with The Direct, Ironheart star Dominique Thorne was asked if she's heard any updates on a potential second season, to which she responded with "No, no. Not yet".
Granted, this is the MCU we're talking about, and big announcements rarely get made during interviews (unless Tom Holland's present). So there's a slight chance new episodes of Ironheart are indeed coming our way, but Dominique doesn't want to reveal too much about her character's future just yet. On the other hand, it's all the more likely she's telling the truth and there aren't talks about a second season at Marvel. For starters, Ironheart was filmed three years ago, which is more than enough time to develop (or at least pitch) a follow-up. Secondly, there's a real chance that Riri Williams won't go solo moving forward.
At this point, it's all but confirmed that the Young Avengers are coming to the MCU. For starters, The Marvels' post-credits scene directly hinted that such a team-up will become a reality, as Kamala Khan did her best Nick Fury impersonation to recruit Kate Bishop. Furthermore, leaked Marvel concept art showcased a version of the team that includes Cassie Lang, Wiccan, Speed, Ms. Marvel, and Hawkeye. Granted, Riri wasn't present in the illustration, but she could very well be a part of the ensemble.
When asked if we could see Ironheart be a part of either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, Dominique hinted that it is a possibility:
"Oh, you know, what can I say? The odds might be in our favor. Who knows? We'll see. We'll see."
As if that wasn't enough, it seems Riri might also get to learn the full extent of the MCU by the end of Ironheart, as stated by Dominique:
"I think this time around, once again, her mind is opened about what actually exists in the world, realizing that it's so much bigger than what she thought even in her hometown, that things are so much bigger and there's a lot more going on than she ever cared to know or to understand."
All things considered, it looks like Ironheart will be a key piece of the highly anticipated crossovers moving forward, where she's likely to meet the likes of Ms. Marvel and Kate Bishop. Not only that, but Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has taught us that she can be a great team player if needed. So, even if Ironheart isn't a part of the Young Avengers in comic book pages, that could very well be the case on the big screen.
Given that Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye haven't been renewed for a second season (though the latter almost did), it seems as if Marvel is planning on following up on the stories of all these heroes on a Young Avengers project. After all, a similar scenario happened with the Thunderbolts / New Avengers, who were introduced in separate projects before coming together. So even if Ironheart season 2 never happens, it seems there will be a lot more of Riri Williams in the MCU in the upcoming years.
The first three episodes of Ironheart will be released on Jun. 24, 2025.