When Marvel Studios first announced that they were making an Ironheart series, which to many people seemed to mean “an Iron Man gender-swap”, the show was already on the backfoot. While the show has suffered several delays, which have given fans plenty of time to accept that the introduction of Riri Williams is not simply replacing Tony Stark in the MCU, that did not prevent the series’ opening three-episode drop from being review-bombed for the usual reasons. This is something that was addressed by series star Anthony Ramos in a recent interview.
Since its debut, Ironheart’s critical score has continued to rise, currently sitting at 87%, far above heavily panned shows like Secret Invasion. While many of the negative reviews about the show continue to list the same old Marvel complaints of it being generic, too much like every else in the MCU, and not doing enough to push its own story, the more positive reviews are happy to admit that none of this really matters and the show is still a worthy additional voice in the Marvel universe. Ramos’ view on the response to the show was clear in a new interview, in which he said:
“Everybody’s gonna say whatever they wanna say, but at the end of the day we know what we made, and we’re proud of what we made. When you’re the first of a thing… well not necessarily the first, but we are different. Hey, at least they’re talking about it.”
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Despite what people will say, it looks like ‘Ironheart’ is already having an impact on the MCU.
‘Ironheart’ Has Become All About One Thing for Some Fans
Away from the controversies and opinions of fans about whether Riri Williams is a Tony Stark “replacement,” or how generic the show is or isn’t, the biggest talking point about the MCU series has been the rumored inclusion of one of the most talked-about characters to have not yet made a single appearance on-screen in the franchise.
Despite being rumored to appear in every show and movie since WandaVision, there is now a strong belief that Mephisto will finally arrive in the MCU thanks to Ironheart. The character has been teased in several ways, and even Marvel Studios seemed to confirm that the devil of the Marvel world will step into the light in the fifth episode of the show.
There has been no direct confirmation of who will play Mephisto, but many rumors have centered on Sacha Baron Cohen being the man for the job. The actor best known for comedy roles like Borat and Ali-G has proven his acting chops over the years, and many have been on board with the idea of him being cast in the role. Whether this has happened, or there will be an unexpected face being revealed this week, it does appear that at long last Mephisto will make his presence felt in the MCU. Of course, how that appearance looks and plays out is going to form a large part of the reaction to the second half of the series. The final three episodes of Ironheart will arrive on Disney+ on Tuesday, July 1.
Source: Seasoned
Ironheart
- Release Date
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June 24, 2025
- Network
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Disney+
- Showrunner
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Chinaka Hodge
- Directors
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Angela Barnes, Sam Bailey
- Writers
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Chinaka Hodge
