Streaming Sneaks: Female teen hero in Marvel’s Ironheart, J-remake of Marry My Husband in June

Ironheart

Debuts on Disney+ on June 25

Marvel’s newest and nerdiest hero takes flight in Ironheart, a series that puts a fresh spin on the Iron Man legacy.

The story follows Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a teenage engineering prodigy who builds herself an advanced suit of armour that could give Tony Stark’s Iron Man get-up a run for its money.

But, along with the growing pains of being a fledgling superhero, she must also navigate the challenges of college life and a genius intellect.

Why watch it: Ironheart is executive-produced by Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed film-maker behind superhero smashes Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and promises a blend of high-octane action, coming-of-age drama and tech wizardry. And expanding on her role in the movie sequel, Thorne offers a new perspective on what it means to be a superhero.

Marry My Husband

Debuts on Prime Video on June 27

A Japanese remake of the wildly popular 2024 K-drama of the same name starring Park Min-young and Na In-woo, this twisty tale of love, betrayal and second chances revolves around Misa (Fuka Koshiba), a woman who has always put others first.

But after a betrayal by her husband and best friend cuts her life short, she miraculously finds herself waking up 10 years earlier – and has the chance to rewrite her past and exact revenge.

As she encounters familiar faces and the same forks in the road, she must find a way to outwit her fate or let the same forces tear her world apart.

Why watch it: The Japanese version is not an exact reboot of the South Korean one, so expect new plot elements. However, the same production company is behind the camera and its director Ahn Gil-ho is South Korean – an intriguing J- and K-drama mash-up.

And the cast is led by two of Japan’s brightest stars, Koshiba (Ooku: The Palace, 2024) and Takeru Satoh (the Rurouni Kenshin film franchise, 2012 to 2021), who plays a man absent from Misa’s previous life but pivotal to her new one.

Smoke

Debuts on Apple TV+ on June 27

This gritty crime drama stars Welsh actor Taron Egerton as Dave Gudsen, an enigmatic arson investigator who grudgingly teams up with police detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) to try and stop a pair of serial arsonists.

Inspired by Firebug, a hit 2021 true-crime podcast about a serial arsonist who terrorised California for a decade, Smoke was created by American author Dennis Lehane, whose novels have been adapted into films such as Gone Baby Gone (2007) and Mystic River (2003).

Why watch it: The last collaboration involving Egerton, Lehane and Apple TV+ resulted in the acclaimed true-crime drama Black Bird (2022), earning an Emmy nomination for Egerton and a win for co-star Paul Walter Hauser, who played real-life serial killer Larry Hall. And there is every reason to expect another exquisitely slow-simmering, character-driven thriller.

Stick

Debuts on June 4 on Apple TV+

This sports comedy casts Owen Wilson as Pryce Cahill, a washed-up former professional golfer who, two decades ago, had a dramatic meltdown that derailed his career.

Recently sacked from his job at a golf shop and on the verge of divorcing his wife Amber-Linn (Judy Greer), he is struggling.

But then he spots a 17-year-old phenom named Santi (Peter Dager) at the driving range and, seeing a path to redemption, decides to try and coach the troubled teen to an amateur tour win.

Why watch it: Billed as a feel-good tale, this invites comparisons to the Emmy-winning Apple TV+ sports comedy series Ted Lasso (2020 to present), as well as Adam Sandler’s cult golf comedy film Happy Gilmore (1996), and should appeal to anyone who loves an underdog story.