Netflix is reinventing the laws of television. In a realm where rating numbers were once all-important, the streaming service has taken a new path in the search for “buzz.” The more people talk about the shows, the better it is for Netflix, and boy, do people talk about Marvel. Daredevil’s and Jessica Jones‘ well-received series are already available on the streaming platform. Luke Cage will follow them this Friday, hopefully bringing a fresh experience to the Netflix corner of the MCU with a Harlem-styled new take.
Iron Fist is set to follow in early 2017, and then The Defenders, which will team up the heroes of all four shows. A Punisher series is in development, along with follow-up seasons for Daredevil and Jessica Jones, but the scheduling of these shows still seems to be in a state of flux, which seems to be how Marvel likes it.
In a recent feature by Complex, Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker (Notorious) revealed that Marvel’s scheduling originally had Iron Fist slated to follow Jessica Jones. However, Mike Colter’s (Zero Dark Thirty) introduction as Luke Cage in Jessica Jones was so well received, that they fast-tracked his solo series instead. Coker said:
“Marvel went from, ‘We’re gonna take our time’ to ‘Let’s flip it and do Luke Cage first. We’ve got this great concept and this guy is leaping off the screen, let’s follow the momentum.'”
Coker also revealed that the unexpectedly accelerated timeline caught his star by surprise, “I called Mike and he’s freaking out: ‘We’re having a baby, my wife’s going to leave me!’ I had to calm him down.” Fortunately, despite the immense pressure on Colter to hold up the weight of his own solo series, the Luke Cage showrunner has no doubts about his star’s credentials:
“He’s just perfect. It’s like, ‘Holy s*** — this guy is Luke Cage.’ Honestly, I consider this the best casting since Sean Connery was James Bond.”
Colter has already dazzled us in the role, so there’s no reason to doubt he’ll do the same in his solo series. Special thanks to Marvel and the gracious Iron Fist for allowing us more Luke Cage action so soon.
Stay tuned to Screen Rant for updates and impressions of Luke Cage as they hit.
Daredevil season 1 & 2 and Jessica Jones season 1 are now available on Netflix. Luke Cage season 1 will arrive on September 30th, 2016. The Defenders and Iron Fist arrive in 2017. Release dates for Jessica Jones season 2, The Punisher and Daredevil season 3 have not yet been announced.
