EYES OF WAKANDA: The Actor Playing The MCU's Female Iron Fist Has Been Revealed

Marvel Animation's Eyes of Wakanda arrives on Disney+ this Friday, and we now know who will lend their voice to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's new female Iron Fist. Find out everything we know here...

News

By JoshWilding - Jul 29, 2025 08:07 AM EST

Filed Under: Black Panther

This Friday, Marvel Studios/Marvel Animation releases all four episodes of Eyes of Wakanda, a Black Panther prequel series set in the MCU's distant past.

While there's a lot of excitement to see the world of Wakanda expand with this story about the Hatut Zaraze, easily the most intriguing part of the show is Marvel Studios' plan to introduce a new, female Iron Fist (generations before Danny Rand inherits the mantle).

We still don't have a name for the Iron Fist who was first spotted in a new trailer and character poster released yesterday, but Jona Xiao is now confirmed to be voicing the character in Eyes of Wakanda.

The actor broke the news on Instagram, writing, "So stoked to reveal I’m playing the MCU’s 1st ever female Iron Fist! Catch Marvel's 'Eyes of Wakanda,' dropping on Disney+ August 1st!"

Xiao is no stranger to comic book adaptations, as she played Rainbow Raider in The Flash. She's also starred in S.W.A.T., Raya and the Last Dragon, and Being Mary Jane. It's doubtful that we'll see this Iron Fist in live-action, but her presence in Eyes of Wakanda suggests there are plans to revisit the character down the line.

In the comics, the Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay, Wu Ao-Shi, once served as Iron Fist. On the screen, Colleen Wing inherited the mantle from Danny in Netflix's Iron Fist TV series.

You can check out Xiao's comments on Instagram below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jona Xiao (@jonaxiao)

The new action-adventure series, produced in partnership with Proximity Media's Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Kalia King, follows the adventures of brave Wakandan warriors throughout history. In this globe-trotting adventure, the heroes must carry out dangerous missions to retrieve Vibranium artefacts from the enemies of Wakanda. They are the Hatut Zaraze, and this is their story.

Featuring the voices of Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams, Patricia Belcher, Larry Herron, Adam Gold, Lynn Whitfield, Jacques Colimon, Jona Xiao, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Gary Anthony Williams, Zeke Alton, Steve Toussaint, and Anika Noni Rose, Eyes of Wakanda is helmed by director/executive producer Todd Harris.

The director, producer and storyboard artist has worked on some of the world's biggest film franchises from John Wick to the MCU.

Over the years, Harris has been a close collaborator to director Ryan Coogler, first as a storyboard artist on Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, then as an illustrator on Sinners before directing Eyes of Wakanda. The show is executive produced by Ryan Coogler, Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt.

Eyes of Wakanda premieres on Disney+ on August 1.

EYES OF WAKANDA Trailer And Posters Introduce The Marvel Cinematic Universe's New Iron Fist

Recommended For You:

BLACK PANTHER Prequel EYES OF WAKANDA Gets A Much Earlier Full Series Premiere Date On Disney+

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

37 Comments

SATW42 - 7/29/2025, 8:52 AM

This makes sense. I knew Eyes of Wakanda was a prequel, but I didn't know it was basically spanning something like 3,000 years. I was wondering how it would lineup with Danny Rand and if this new iron fist would essentially all but confirm that he isn't canon, but now it's a woman that maybe even exists centuries ago.

TheVisionary25 - 7/29/2025, 9:01 AM

@SATW42 - yeah , I did know that we were delving into the history of the world and Wakanda with this (it’s the first animated series set within the MCU) so I had assumed this would be a past Iron Fist…

Given that an episode or so seems to be set on the ocean & such , she could be Wu Ao Shi who they mention in Iron Fist S2 as being a possible ancestor of Colleen’s

Apophis71 - 7/29/2025, 10:11 AM

@SATW42 - If memory serves Colleen Wing was an ancestor of the Pirate Queen, certainly ancestor of A prior female Iron Fist and think that is who she got her Sword from thus if she is coming back now that Netflix is canon makes sense to show her ancestor in an animated episode set hundreds of years ago (think in the comics it was 16th century).

TheFinestSmack - 7/29/2025, 8:54 AM

...ok...

BigPhilbowski - 7/29/2025, 9:34 AM

@TheFinestSmack - key word. MCU

TheFinestSmack - 7/29/2025, 9:49 AM

@BigPhilbowski - Aren't the Netflix shows now considered MCU canon?

Polaris - 7/29/2025, 9:59 AM

@TheFinestSmack - First chronologically

DannyBrandy20 - 7/29/2025, 11:01 AM

@TheFinestSmack - Doesn't count

It's best to ignore that trash

TheFinestSmack - 7/29/2025, 11:09 AM

@DannyBrandy20 - It gets confusing since Daredevil, Punisher and now Jessica Jones are all back from Netflix and in the proper MCU.

BigPhilbowski - 7/29/2025, 11:27 AM

@TheFinestSmack - not really, I don't think fully acknowledged it either way. I see it similar to a peacemaker situation. DD born again is, along with some of the Netflix show but I can't see Iron Fist, Defenders, Cage etc being canon

TheyDont - 7/29/2025, 9:03 AM

Danny would easily outfist her.

Floke - 7/29/2025, 9:08 AM

So the plot is:
A woman from a gated community comes to visit an extremly non-diverse country with insanely strict border controls who pick their ruler based on MMA fighting skills. And before he get crowned a king, then they give him PEDs.

Kind of weird to root for that, but what do I know.

TheyDont - 7/29/2025, 10:09 AM

@Floke - Also, soldiers from this country disregard international law and bully disabled people.

DocSpock - 7/29/2025, 11:13 AM

@Floke -

This hilariously exactly correct!

JacobsLadder - 7/29/2025, 1:35 PM

@Floke - well, when you put it like that....

MrDandy - 7/29/2025, 9:13 AM

Glad they are giving Iron Fist a second life in some form. Really hope they resurrect the character and his reputation, weather with Danny Rand or the new Asian version they have been pushing.

Apophis71 - 7/29/2025, 10:17 AM

@MrDandy - Hoping for both back side by side as the twin fists of the Dragon (even if with a recast) but going with Colleens likely ancestor in the animation would seem to suggest Wing will be back at minimum and be VERY surprised if we don't find out what Danny go up to. It may however lead to another post Rand/Colleen Iron Fist, time will tell.

OmegaBlack13 - 7/29/2025, 9:19 AM

It’s so odd to say “1st Ever Female Iron Fist” implying it’s been more than 1 guy and another guy in a brief flashback (so basically 1), when the only other one that can really be counted (and the current one) is another woman.

Apophis71 - 7/29/2025, 10:49 AM

@OmegaBlack13 - In Marvel comic lore, the first known Iron Fist chronologically was at one point Quan Yaozu, unsure if that was before or after they intro'd the one known as the Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay or not who was I think at the time said to be the first FEMALE Iron Fist. Wu Ao-Shi held the mantle centuries before Danny Rand and was introduced during The Immortal Iron Fist series I think, which expanded the mythology of K’un-Lun and revealed a lineage of Iron Fists throughout history.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Quan Yaozu: The earliest known Iron Fist, active during ancient times and was a rebel who defied K’un-Lun’s rulers and later became an antagonist in modern stories.

Orson Randall: A 20th-century Iron Fist who fought in World War I and refused to continue the legacy, passing the mantle to Danny Rand.

Danny Rand: The most well-known Iron Fist, introduced in Marvel Premiere #15 (1974), created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane.

I don't know exactly where the Pirate Queen fits into the known source timeline but...

Wu Ao-Shi: The Pirate Queen Iron Fist

Wu Ao-Shi was one of the most legendary and unique wielders of the Iron Fist mantle in Marvel Comics.

First Female Iron Fist: She lived during the 16th century and was the first woman to defeat the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying, earning the power of the Iron Fist.

Chi Archer: Unlike most Iron Fists who focused on hand-to-hand combat, Wu Ao-Shi could channel her chi into her bow and arrows, turning them into devastating weapons.

Romantic Rebel: She fell in love with a fisherman and blessed their wedding rings with her chi so they’d glow when near each other. When he left her, she followed him into the mortal world, choosing love and duty as one.

Mercenary Turned Hero: To survive outside K’un-Lun, she became a mercenary. Eventually, she liberated Pinghai Bay from pirates using her chi-infused arrows and martial prowess, earning the title Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay.

Legacy: Her story inspired future Iron Fists, including Lin Lie, to embrace their own paths rather than conform to tradition.

Her tale is one of passion, rebellion, and power—an Iron Fist who fought not just for honor, but for love and freedom.

I do seem to recall there was a prehistoric Iron Fist too from like a million years ago at one point stated as THE first, think that one was female too but typicaly the Pirate Queen is considered one of the first recorded one in lore or Quan Yaozu but I don't fully know with certainty if there is one definative first and which one if so (as the tend to ignore prehistoric ones as more otherverse even if supposedly 616).

I don't fully trust wikipedia but I'll pull up the list from that

Fan Fei In 1,000,000 BC
Quan Yaozu
Li Park In 730 A.D.
Gale, Atlantean princess, During the 11th Century
Bei-Ming Tian 1227 AD
Fongji Wu
Wu Ao-Shi In 1545 A.D.
Bei Bang-Wen mid-19th century
Kwai Jun-Fan circa 1878
Orson Randall in the late 19th century
Danny Rand
Pei
Wah Sing-Rand In an alternate timeline set in the 31st century

TheVisionary25 - 7/29/2025, 9:20 AM

Sweet , congrats to Ms Xiao on landing the role & hope she does well…

Not familiar with her work besides The Flash (which she was fine in from what I remember) but I wish her the best of luck!!.

Anyway , I’m looking forward to the show since it seems fun imo.

ObserverIO - 7/29/2025, 9:23 AM

"So stoked to be playing the MCU's first female Iron Fist"

Wahhvacado - 7/29/2025, 10:20 AM

@ObserverIO - Seems to be the first chronologically

HashTagSwagg - 7/29/2025, 1:32 PM

@ObserverIO - Her PR agent told her to spout that shit. Lets not forget, they don't like to hire people who actually watch these things.

ObserverIO - 7/29/2025, 3:39 PM

@HashTagSwagg - Can't tell you how many times I've heard "I'm the first female or black gay or whatever superthingy" only to fact check it and of course it's not correct.

GeneralZod - 7/29/2025, 9:28 AM

And they keep wondering why their D+ programing underperforms.

FinnishDude - 7/29/2025, 9:37 AM

So many people are going to pretend that they found Finn Jones' Iron Fist a compelling character for the sake of faking outrage over this.

DannyBrandy20 - 7/29/2025, 11:03 AM

@FinnishDude - Yes from gays

Yankdandy - 7/29/2025, 12:18 PM

@FinnishDude - cry more, nerd 🤣

FinnishDude - 7/29/2025, 12:29 PM

@Yankdandy - You are giving way more upset energy than me.

cubrn - 7/29/2025, 12:31 PM

@DannyBrandy20 - Gays accept strong female roles. You guys want women-free sausage-fest programming apparently.

Yankdandy - 7/29/2025, 12:42 PM

@FinnishDude - 🤣

hainesy - 7/29/2025, 9:38 AM

Marvel cartoons should just drop all men from the shows and make the cast 100% women. They are almost there, but need the courage to go all the way.

DarthOmega - 7/29/2025, 9:38 AM

Can someone please teach these ponies a new trick.

soberchimera - 7/29/2025, 9:39 AM

This series would be a good opportunity to show the infighting between the tribes of Wakanda: Panther, Rhino, Gorilla, Crocodile, etc before becoming united. They could show the White Gorilla Cult as an ACTUAL threat this time.

MisterBones - 7/29/2025, 1:28 PM

A woman has held the mantle a few times in the comics. Nothing new.

JacobsLadder - 7/29/2025, 1:33 PM

Wow, Disney is taking a bold step here. Truly stunning and brave. I hope it works out for them.

1stDalek - 7/29/2025, 2:10 PM

Sweet! Hope she kills it. We're slowly getting to a proper Iron Fist in the MCU.

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

EYES OF WAKANDA: The Actor Playing The MCU's Female Iron Fist Has Been Revealed

Marvel Animation's Eyes of Wakanda arrives on Disney+ this Friday, and we now know who will lend their voice to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's new female Iron Fist. Find out everything we know here...

EYES OF WAKANDA Trailer And Posters Introduce The Marvel Cinematic Universe's New Iron Fist

BLACK PANTHER Prequel EYES OF WAKANDA Gets A Much Earlier Full Series Premiere Date On Disney+

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.