While we're still waiting on official confirmation of the rumor that Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock,
a.k.a. Daredevil, will appear in the upcoming third Spider-Man movie as Peter Parker's lawyer,
it seems the fate of one of Cox's co-stars on Netflix's The Defenders might be starting
to take shape.
According to We Got This Covered, Marvel brass may be looking to slot the one and only Luke
Cage into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future, with the Hero of Harlem reportedly
set to feature as a prominent supporting player moving forward.
The rumor is hardly substantiated, as the outlet cites an unnamed Marvel insider as
the source the same who leaked Cox's possible MCU return in Spider-Man 3.
It appears that Marvel Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige isn't looking
to simply forget all of the Netflix small-screen MCU ventures.
He's reportedly looking to integrate not only Daredevil and Luke Cage into the MCU, but
also Jessica Jones and the Punisher, with Krysten Ritter and Jon Bernthal both possibly
reprising their roles.
Most surprisingly, the rumor claims that Marvel isn't interested in bringing actor Mike Colter
back as Cage.
The studio is reportedly looking to recast the role, a fate apparently also shared by
Iron Fist's Finn Jones.
If these rumors turn out to be true, let's hope that Marvel finds an actor who can balance
physicality and emotion as well as Colter did over his time in the Netflix world of
the MCU.
"Yo, I'm doing the best I can, OK?"
Marvel is bringing some of its big-screen heroes to the small screen via Disney+, so
it's not unreasonable to believe that perhaps the studio wants to blend the heroes of those
Netflix series into the ever-expanding cinematic universe.
According to Variety, certain legalities between Marvel and Netflix may prevent any of the
characters who appeared on those streaming series from joining in the MCU until at least
two years after their respective series ended.
Daredevil aired its final run of episodes in October 2018, so it'll be at least another
year before we see the man without fear in the MCU.
For the Punisher and Jessica Jones, the wait would be a little longer, as final episodes
of their series aired in January and June of 2019, respectively.
As for a possible timeline on a Luke Cage return, he was last seen getting cozy in Harlem's
Paradise in June 2018, so it's possible he could be punching his way back into the MCU
sooner than any of the other Defenders.
"I don't plan on hibernating.
I was innocent before and I'm innocent now.
I got work to do."
Part of the reason these particular characters made their debuts in small-screen ventures
is because Marvel probably had them marked as worthy heroes that likely wouldn't have
drawn huge audiences to theaters in a standalone movie.
Daredevil's only solo movie venture is not well-regarded, let's say.
Luke Cage in particular seemed to benefit from the episodic approach, as well as from
teaming up with other supers in Netflix's Marvel canon, memorably pairing with both
Jessica Jones and Iron Fist prior to and after the Defenders' run.
Cage has been one of Marvel Comics' most team-up-friendly heroes over the years, so if Feige and the
current Marvel crew are eyeing him as a major supporting player in whatever MCU fun they
might be planning, there's a chance that the Hero of Harlem could turn up alongside some
more established supers right out of the gate.
Cage's status as an Avenger has been well-established in the comics, and if the MCU truly is looking
to build its next Avengers big-screen run, Cage could find himself in the mix when the
next crossover occurs.
We could also see Marvel go the Heroes for Hire route and deposit Cage in the company
of his Defenders pals Iron Fist and Jessica Jones.
It's also been rumored that Marvel is looking to bring an alternate super-group into the
MCU in the near future: The Thunderbolts.
And yes, Luke Cage can frequently be seen fighting alongside that crew, too.
So Cage's possible return to the MCU could take on many different looks.
Could it happen?
Of course.
Might it be an out-and-out farce?
Sure.
Marvel rumors are a dime a dozen.
But there's potentially a lot to look forward to if he does find his way back.
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