Ryan Coogler on why ‘Ironheart’ is the next superhero we need

Ryan Coogler is out with a new series exploring a character from his blockbuster hit Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The first three episodes of the new series, Ironheart, launch on Disney+ on Wednesday. The series focuses on Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), “a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world” and whose iron suits “rival the best” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to a press release.

Coogler, who is an executive producer on the project, spoke with Good Morning America at the Ironheart fan event in Hollywood on Monday and shared why Riri is the next superhero fans need in the MCU.

“She’s a true Gen Z MCU hero,” Coogler said. “I think she’s dealing with the world at a point where it’s very similar to our own. It’s a lot of anxiety around AI, around ethics of advanced technology and its usage and, also, she’s dealing with relationships and her own mental health.”

He added, “I’m so excited, it’s the perfect time for this show.”

Along with Thorne, the cast includes Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam and Anji White.

Additionally, Anthony Ramos portrays Parker Robbins/”The Hood.”

Ironheart is set after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, according to a press release. In the film, Riri is introduced as a brilliant 19-year-old MIT student who has reverse-engineered Tony Stark’s Iron Man tech to build her own suit. She becomes a target after she created a vibranium-detecting machine used by the U.S. government.

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