Early Reactions to ‘Ironheart’ Spark Concern for Marvel Future

The latest Marvel series hasn’t been out for long, but it’s already at the center of a familiar controversy.

Ironheart, which debuted its first three episodes on Disney+ on June 24, was targeted by a wave of negative user reviews even before the premiere. The show stars Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a teenage engineering prodigy introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, now stepping into her own spotlight.

Credit: Marvel Studios

Riri’s story picks up after her expulsion from MIT, as she returns to Chicago and clashes with Parker Robbins, a petty criminal who acquires dark magical powers and becomes The Hood. The series explores themes of identity, innovation, and the burden of legacy—contrasting Riri’s tech with Robbins’ mysticism.

A Premature Review Bombing Campaign

Despite earning generally positive notices from critics, Ironheart saw its audience scores tank before most viewers had a chance to watch. “Dominique Thorne ignites the MCU skies with charisma and confidence to boot, making Ironheart a worthy watch despite its conventional genre armor,” reads the critics’ consensus. Early reviews praised the show’s grounded tone and Thorne’s performance, even if episode one didn’t make the strongest first impression.

Credit: Marvel Studios

That didn’t stop online users from launching a coordinated review-bombing campaign – or others from fighting back against the review-bombing.

“How fucking miserable do you have to be to review bomb #Ironheart that you obviously didn’t watch because the episode weren’t available until an hour ago and reviews were embargo just got lifted,” one post read. “Not to mention y’all are just copying and pasting the same tired ass fake review!”

How fucking miserable do you have to be to review bomb #Ironheart that you obviously didn’t watch because the episode weren’t available until an hour ago and reviews were embargo just got lifted.

Not to mention y’all are just copying and pasting the same tired ass fake review! pic.twitter.com/feg7Gpgw68

— Neysha 🔜 FanExpo? (@NeyshaPlays) June 25, 2025

According to ScreenRant, Ironheart had a 32% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes before it premiered. On IMDb, the series currently sits at just 3.7/10—numbers critics argue reflect bad-faith reactions, not genuine viewership.

Echoes of The Acolyte and Ms. Marvel

The campaign mirrors the backlash that hit The Acolyte, the Star Wars series created by Leslye Headland. Released in mid-2024, it followed Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and twin sisters Osha and Mae (Amandla Stenberg) during the High Republic era.

Despite critical praise, The Acolyte was flooded with negative audience reviews before its premiere. Detractors cited slow pacing and lore changes, but much of the backlash fixated on its diverse cast and themes. “Wokeness” became a catch-all insult, aimed at casting choices like Stenberg’s dual role and the prominence of characters like Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss).

Credit: Lucasfilm

The fallout was swift. Though officially blamed on budget issues, Disney swiftly axed the series. With The Acolyte now potentially erased from Star Wars canon, some fear the same could happen to Ironheart.

Ms. Marvel faced similar attacks in 2022. The series introduced Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a Pakistani-American teen whose identity became a flashpoint. While Vellani’s performance was widely praised, the show’s cultural specificity sparked complaints that it was “too political.” As a result, it struggled to build momentum on Disney+ and has remained on the sidelines of the larger MCU narrative.

Ironheart risks the same fate. If Marvel perceives the show as a liability, Riri Williams may never get the long-term arc that characters like Loki or Spider-Man have enjoyed—despite being played by an actress with clear franchise potential.

For now, the numbers may say more about the internet than the show.

What do you think of Ironheart?