It’s good to be in the Ryan Coogler business.
That’s been the case ever since the director’s breakthrough debut “Fruitvale Station” hit theaters in 2013. It’s more true today given the runaway success of his epic vampire film “Sinners.”
The film has earned north of $215 million along with adulation from critics and crowds alike.
Team Disney is leaning on Coogler’s name to boost interest in its newest MCU series.
“Ironheart” has been in development for some time. The show, a gender-swapped iteration of the franchise’s Iron Man character, was announced in 2020 and slated for a 2023 bow.
The show finally hits Disney+ next month – June 24.
The official explanation for the delay? Disney brass decided to slow the flood of MCU titles to give each more breathing room.
Sure, Jan.
That explanation doesn’t fill audiences with anticipation. Nor does the inconsistent nature of recent MCU product. “The Marvels” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantunmania” both stumbled at the box office and “Captain America: Brave New World” couldn’t match the heights of previous MCU titles but avoided dud status.
“Thunderbolts*” is fairing better, so far, but it won’t match what any given “Spider-Man,” “Thor” or “Avengers” movie earns.
“Ironheart” has an ace up its sleeve in the wake of “Sinners'” success. Coogler is an executive producer on the series and appears to have a personal stake in the saga.
The nagging problem? “Ironheart” went into production during Disney’s woke era. The public is exhausted by a brand of storytelling that cares more about Identity Politics than ripping yarns.
Dominique Thorne’s “iconic” line in the trailer as Riri Williams (AKA Ironheart) suggests another “girlboss” heroine, the kind audiences have tuned out in recent years. The teen female tech expert is already an exhausted trope.
That Coogler name could convince skeptical consumers to give “Ironheart” a shot. If the content is more 2020 than 2025, they may tune out in a hurry.
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