Disney Prepares for Its “Wokest” Projects in Advance, Report Confirms
In today’s Marvel Studios pipeline, diverse casting and boundary-pushing storytelling are often met with applause — and resistance.
As Disney continues to build out the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a clear pattern has emerged: projects led by women, people of color, or LGBTQ+ characters face a wave of hostility long before their first trailer drops. Internally, the company knows this. And according to those involved, it’s planning for it.
The most recent case is Ironheart, which faced review bombing and online attacks weeks before it premiered.
Marvel’s New Phase Faces Old-School Backlash
The MCU has evolved significantly since Avengers: Endgame (2019), with billion-dollar entries like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) keeping audiences engaged. But recent years have also shown diminishing returns — and louder culture-war commentary.
When The Marvels debuted in 2023, starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani, it failed to recoup its budget, partially overshadowed by online vitriol that included racist and sexist attacks. A similar reaction greeted Ms. Marvel, the Disney+ series led by Vellani, and earlier shows like She-Hulk and Echo, both of which became lightning rods for criticism labeled as anti-woke or politically driven.
With Ironheart, the cycle repeated.
Coogler: “We Knew This Was Coming”
Produced by Black Panther filmmaker Ryan Coogler, Ironheart centers on Riri Williams — a young Black woman genius played by Dominique Thorne — as she builds her own suit of armor and battles a new villain, The Hood, whose powers are rooted in dark magic. The show blends tech and mysticism while focusing on legacy, innovation, and identity.
But even before Ironheart debuted its first three episodes on Disney+, negative reviews flooded platforms like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.
On The New Blerd Order podcast, Coogler confirmed that Disney and the creative team anticipated the backlash. Asked by host Anthony Whyte whether the company had prepared for the controversy, Coogler responded, “The answer is yes to all of that.”
“Whenever you’re breaking ground in spaces that are thought of as not being for you, this happens,” he explained. “The entertainment business is not unique in that. That’s in every business.”
He also addressed the online noise directly: “This show is for people who’re not permanently online, expressing their opinions about everything. This show is for people who are busy living their lives, bro.”
A Strategy of Anticipation
Disney’s preparation isn’t reactionary — it’s part of an emerging internal strategy, according to those involved. With each new “woke” label hurled at its streaming content, the company has learned to expect pre-release attacks and insulate the creative teams behind them.
Coogler made it clear Ironheart wasn’t created to placate critics. “If they come to this show with an open mind, I think there’s going to be a lot there for them,” he said. “For folks that come to the show with a closed mind… That ain’t got nothing to do with us.”
Despite the backlash, Ironheart found success on Disney+, quickly becoming the platform’s number one series following the release of its initial episodes.
Marvel may still be adjusting to a post-Endgame reality, but one thing is evident: diversity isn’t a detour. For Disney, it’s the path forward — even if that path includes a storm of outrage they now expect.
