We are just days away from the arrival of Marvel Television's Ironheart. We should be saying that this is a show years in the making but the truth is that it's been made for years; Marvel Studios has just been looking for the right time to release it. And, unusually, it looks like they found it, three years after Riri Williams' previous MCU appearance (and three years after the show was filmed).
Williams' return to the MCU is long overdue and the much-delayed Ironheart looks to right that wrong. Although the Disney Plus show only marks Dominique Thorne's second live-action appearance as the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, the trailers for the series have highlighted that it's all about legacy. And with that, there are some titles that you'll probably want to revisit before watching the most recent installment in the MCU.
Let's take things all the way back to the beginning with the first one.
Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Iron Man 3
This one was clear from the moment that Riri Williams made her introduction into the MCU. A brilliant mind with a knack for inventing brilliant creations, there are noticeable similarities to Tony Stark: The man who introduced the world to the Iron Man suit and started all of the adventures that audiences around the world would come to know as the MCU itself.
Having built her own suit of armor, Riri is clearly inspired by the legacy of Iron Man and looks to carry that on in Ironheart. Thus, in order to truly embrace the future, we should revisit the past, reflecting on Tony Stark's three solo adventures that gifted the MCU with the technological wonders of Stark Technology that it still relies on to this day.
Robert Downey Jr. has officially given the show his blessing, so let's all do the same, revisiting Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Iron Man 3 as we do so.
Doctor Strange and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
The Doctor Strange movies might be a surprise choice given that you're about to watch a technology-based MCU show like Ironheart but there is a good reason for this. If you've watched the trailer for the upcoming show, you'll probably know that Riri Williams will be dabbling with some magic, as Ironheart appears to rely on the supernatural forces to help her operate her suit. The show also features The Hood (played by Anthony Ramos), who has his own supernatural origins, and might even include Mephisto - whose MCU existence was just recently confirmed in Agatha All Along.
Magic has been a long-standing element of the MCU but it really took root in 2016's Doctor Strange. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Master of Mysticism, the film introduced us to the future Sorcerer Supreme, who would go on to become one of the franchise's biggest characters, as he played a crucial role in two Avengers movies. His second standalone adventure, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was released in 2022 and it dove even deeper into the magic lore, utilizing the Scarlet Witch and the Darkhold to do that.
Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The franchise that officially introduced us to Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams, you likely knew that 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was going to be on this list. But to truly understand and appreciate the world of Wakanda, you should watch 2018's Academy Award-nominated Black Panther first, especially since the Black Panther movie series is arguably the most important to the upcoming Disney Plus series.
The first film focuses on the revered King T'Challa (portrayed by the late, great Chadwick Boseman) and allows us to see the beauty of Wakanda. Calling it a cinematic marvel would be an understatement. And the second is visually stunning as well, focusing on the Wakandans as they attempt to honor the life of T'Challa as his sister Shuri carries his legacy on as the next Black Panther.
Riri is introduced as a force to be reckoned with in the technological world and she quickly proves herself as such within just a few minutes of screen-time. Thankfully, she goes on to play a major role in the movie.
What If...?
What If...? is an underrated gem of the Multiverse Saga that allows us to see what the world of the MCU could look like if just a few variables were changed. Although the events of the series aren't canon to the MCU (as they all takes place in various worlds), there are multiple reasons that make it important to the Multiverse Saga - specifically the fact that it focuses on the multiverse itself.
As for its importance to Ironheart? Well, there is an episode in its third and final season that is led by Thorne's hero, as an alternate version of Riri Williams seeks to save the world - or what's left of it after Tiamut's Emergence - from an attack by Mysterio, who relies on the White Vision to do his bidding. It's a thrilling episode of television that stands out in the season and has earned its place among the show's best episodes. It also showcases how formidable Riri Williams truly is, and is a great indicator of how she functions as a leader - something we'll undoubtedly see her do plenty of in Ironheart.
Ironheart premieres on Disney Plus on June 24 2025.