MarvelBlog News for July 6th, 2025
This week: I spoil the Ironheart finale because Marvel doesn’t seem to care anyway.
So, we will talk about THAT surprise and THAT casting choice in MarvelBlog News.
Here There Be Spoilers
Photo: Disney+
Okay, this section will include THE big spoiler from the season finale of Ironheart, the one that happened in the final ten minutes.
We’ll also discuss details of the mid-credits scene, which sets up…something?
Image: Disney
If you don’t want to be spoiled, that’s totally fine. Simply skip down to two sections. I won’t discuss it anymore there.
SPOILER WARNING!!!
Image: Disney
Are you still here? Okay, good! Marvel saved a huge surprise for the finale of Ironheart.
The whole thing shocked many Marvel fans, as it seemed like the series had become an afterthought.
Image: Disney
Disney+ simply hasn’t pushed Ironheart, so much so that even the release timing felt insulting.
Ironheart came out during the same week as The Bear and Squid Game, two of the biggest shows on streaming.
Image: Disney
Since it wasn’t a holiday, fans had little opportunity to watch all three, forcing some hard choices.
I’ll just level with you that I chose The Bear…and I write about Marvel/Disney for a living!
Image: Disney
I’ve also watched the season premieres of the other two shows and will publish an Ironheart recap this weekend.
Still, if I am not prioritizing Ironheart, that speaks volumes, which makes this story even wilder.
Basically, Marvel almost incidentally confirmed this rumor from 2022, straight down to the casting!
As I said at the time, “I won’t believe it until I see him onscreen saying, “Hi, I’m Mephisto.” Even then, I’ll still have my doubts.”
Photo: Marvel
Well, that’s almost verbatim what happened, as Sacha Baron-Cohen appeared onscreen.
Then, he introduced himself to Riri Williams by denying that he was Dormammu, instead revealing himself as Mephisto.
Source: Marvel
A few minutes later, Ironheart had made a literal deal with the devil, and everything in the MCU took a turn.
Still More Ironheart Spoilers
Source: HBO/ Marvel
Somehow, the fun didn’t stop there, as the mid-credits scene showed The Hood heading to a magic shop.
The employee he met was…Zelma Stanton. If that name means something to you, well, it’s a frustration.
Source: Marvel Studios
Zelma has carved out a niche for herself as Dr. Strange’s co-leader at Strange Academy.
And that may want to make you pull your hair out, as this happened earlier in 2025.
Source: Marvel
Yes, Marvel had planned Strange Academy, only to pull the plug on it in February.
Now, we have a July release that connects directly to Strange Academy, which may never happen.
Source: Marvel Studios
Now, I say “never” in vague terms, as Kevin Feige appears to be adopting a comic book-esque philosophy.
Many Marvel books intentionally leave story arcs unresolved, thereby “planning” for the future.
By planning, I mean that some kid will read the comic today, invent their own story, and write it in 20 years.
This happens more often than you’d expect, and it’s apparently a new MCU tactic as well.
STRANGE ACADEMY PRESENTS: DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE #1 cover by Humberto Ramos. Photo: Marvel
Even when Marvel paused Strange Academy, sources emphasized that it could yet happen at a later date.
Now, we know why Marvel was reticent to act as if the death of Strange Academy was a fait accompli.
Source: Marvel Studios
THEY HAVE ALREADY CAST FOR THE SERIES!!! That’s how deep Marvel had gone into this project.
Now, they’re backing away and will hide behind Ironheart’s lackluster performance to justify not making more.
Photo: Marvel
Given that Disney+ has barely promoted Ironheart, its failure is also a fait accompli.
So, this brings us to a larger point.
Marvel, What Are You Doing???
Photo: Empire
Hello and welcome back to those of you who skipped the two spoiler sections.
We’re discussing Marvel’s recent indecisiveness and odd burial of various projects.
Photo: Marvel
For various reasons, the primary topic is Strange Academy. IYKYK. But there are other examples.
Marvel just left Captain America: Brave New World to die, and that came on the heels of other curious decisions.
Image: Marvel
Echo shared a condensed release pattern with Ironheart, with both shows airing all episodes in a week.
Daredevil: Born Again wasn’t pushed as much as expected, even though it was very good.
Marvel Database – Fandom
And elements of Eternals played heavily into the plots of Brave New World and Thunderbolts*…initially.
Marvel dialed them back as the release approached for each film, almost as if the Celestials no longer mattered in the MCU.
Photo: CBR
I don’t believe that is the case, but we can only judge based on what happens in these Marvel stories.
Currently, the only consistent aspect is inconsistency, with Marvel seemingly convinced that Avengers: Doomsday will fix everything.
Photo: BBC
I’m no longer confident that’s the case, and the latest weirdness with Ironheart is proof.
Marvel just broke out an S-tier villain and revered actor in what seems like dream casting.
Photo: The Independent
But we don’t even know when this character will appear in the MCU again, nor do we know if Riri Williams will gain closure.
Everything about this is sloppy, and we should expect more of Marvel.
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