So I'd like you to please give a warm welcome
some of the folks you know are here and some of the folks are gonna come as a surprise to you
there's a
man, who had a terrible problem on his hands, which was how the hell he was going to make all of his work?
And I'm... I'm so glad that he did such a wonderful job. He's our show runner and our head writer
Marco Ramirez.
I
There's not a whole lot I need to tell you other than she plays Colleen Wing; Jessica is here.
Anyway, I was in the middle of introducing Debbie Ann Wall, who plays Karen Page.
What happened? Oh yes, we're doing that.
We'll have a lot to talk about today.
She broke Matt's heart and then broke all of our hearts:
Elodie plays Elecktra.
I'm going to ask
all of you, because you were so kind to me that there's a real reason that you should ever get out of your seats
She is the, just the first lady of everything; could you please stand up and give a warm welcome
to Sigourney Weaver.
Just stay standing cause the following people are going to come out: Finn Jones plays Iron Fist,
Mike Colter plays Luke Cage,
Krysten plays Jessica Jones,
and the guy who kicked it all off for us, Charlie Cox plays Matt Murdock/Daredevil.
and
The good folks at Netflix would very much appreciate if NOW you took as many pictures as you'd like and you hash tagged them.
# Defend. Please take a seat.
I think you all know
that we've been incredibly fortunate to
have our friends at Netflix
not just order a season two but a season three of Daredevil.
I think you know that currently in the city of New York, and I'm so glad that they both could get on a plane
in order to be here because they literally were working last night in New York:
Krysten Ritter is doing season two of Jessica Jones
Mike Colter is doing season two of Luke Cage
and
I am proud to announce something that none of them know, and that is
we will start production on season two of Iron Fist.
And I will give you one little hint that
A friend of Colleen Wing may be coming by and and that makes me a little misty.
So
we're going to kick this off.
Marco,
I think the best way to describe this is we took four completely different television series,
of which you were integral to two seasons of daredevil
and
uh, as someone mentioned today, we, it was like taking
four different jigsaw puzzles, putting them in a box, shaking up the box
handing you the puzzle, and then taking the box away.
How did you approach this? What is what did you hope to accomplish? Did you get there? God, I hope you did because it's done.
Tell us a little bit about making Defenders.
(Marco) Yeah, the Defenders was probably the most challenging writing assignment
I've ever had in my life.
And I think mostly because the characters are also
independent, and because the fan base is clearly all there for each of the shows.
So the big challenge was honoring each of those characters
so it never felt like any of the characters are coming and visiting
Daredevil's world or any of the characters coming to Luke Cage's world, but actually that Defenders was its own story and self-contained.
So that was really the big challenge, and I think we did that.
(Moderator) Uh, I think you did too good. I think that's super cool.
Jess,
you've got to play Colleen Wing
In Iron Fist which was obviously you had a tremendous amount of fun, particularly when you were cage match fighting.
And for those of you who go back and look at it, that's her in that cage like she's just, we couldn't keep her on the ground.
so
tell us where in Defenders, where you... you go, because you have kind of issues.
(Jessica) Yeah, I mean Colleen has really had her whole life ripped away from her at the end of Iron Fist.
Yeah. ( )Sorry. (Jessica) Your fault. Her surrogate father, like her religion
her family, her even her dojo, and so she
we catch up with her and Danny, and they're NOT in New York; they're somewhere else and
she really hasn't come to terms with what's happened emotionally and mentally and
she needs to to move forward with her life;
she needs to go through the grieving process. (Moderator) But will there be more "badassery" from you?
Yeah, I with a lot of being you awesome. (Moderator) Or bad, I guess bad buttery is what I was looking for in Holly. Sorry I
Deb,
you
(Jessica) Whoo!
(Moderator) You, you've had a, you've had a busy year with us, and we're so grateful.
You were bouncing. Literally, at some points you were shooting
like Defenders in the day and going to Punisher at night. Just tell us a little bit about what that was like for you.
(Debbie) Yeah, it was interesting because you know each time I do
one of these other, it's like three shows now, that
Karen Page is on. And I actually reached out to Rosario because I was like, "How do you do this!?"
Yeah, trying to keep her sort of consistent across all of the different shows, and luckily the writers have been so great and saying they
want to put their kind of
extra Layer on it;
but they really wanted me to add in, you know, if I felt it was right.
And so it's been really fun to kind of keep adding on and getting everyone's input.
Thanks! You guys rock! (Moderator) You guys rock.
Elodie, you're dead. I don't understand. (Elodie) I'm not!
(Moderator) We, no spoilers for those of you that have seen daredevil season 2. At the very end,
she was put in a grave, I and
that would have been it, but that's not it, is it?
(Elodie) No, it's not, and I'm really glad that, you know, I came back to life. (Moderator) Tell us, tell us about
Elektra in, in this world because it's... it's not... it's not who you played before.
(Elodie) No, and (Moderator) As much as you can I guess. (Elodie) Yeah,
basically
Elektra is... is amnesiac. She doesn't remember who she is,
and she's trained by
by Alexandra,
to be some sort of a weapon.
And... and I get the question for my character is how much of the
Elektra that we know
remains?
So, we'll find out I guess... in the series (Moderator) When we will see.
I will tell you a... a very short story. When we first started talking about who Alexandra was going to be
Sigourney's name was mentioned, and... and we all let out a collective squee,
because that just sounded like maybe the best idea ever.
And I,
I spoke to Drew Goddard and... and who had worked with her before and... and I said,
Just tell me and
He said the most accurate thing in the world, and that is, she's exactly what you want Sigourney Weaver to be.
and
It's just a class act all the way from top to bottom, and... and joined our what I always see as sort of
Like we're just getting by and... and yet, you came in and elevated it all. I, what was it like when you first came to
to the Defenders, and you met all these guys and ...
(Sigourney) Well, you... you were kind enough to to introduce me to them on stage at the New York Comic Con last Fall.
(Moderator) Yes, (Sigourney) So it was very exhiIarating. (Moderator) It was the first time you'd actually been in. Literally walked on stage and met them for the first time.
(Sigourney) It was too late they were stuck with me because I was already a huge fan of
Daredevil and Jessica Jones and all the actors who play in those shows, as well as
by then, I was already a huge fan of Marcos and Jeff's and the writing and frankly that
the character of New York City
I'm a New Yorker and and I love that New... New York City is indeed one of the five defenders.
And they also offered me a part. I really couldn't refuse. It's... it's a very interesting
woman, and a woman who has a lot of dealings with this lovely young lady
and their relationship is certainly one of the most unusual
and interesting
relationships I've ever had on screen or off, so it was just a joy to work here and work with you guys
And I really appreciate it. (Moderator) And when what a pleasure, and what a joy be able to watch.
Finn,
season 1 of Iron Fist was sort of your
coming-out party. It was like you, it was... it was you basically at you know it was Danny
first coming back to New York,
realizing that he had to figure out what his life was going to be,
but we leap forward in... in Defenders and... and
You've kind of, you're a man on a mission now. Tell us a little bit about that. (Finn) Yeah. I mean I've always them
hi, everyone by the way and
so
I've always thought that
season one of Iron Fist and season one of Defenders was
Danny's first full arc, like Phase one. And it was really nice to kind of take Danny from the beginning of
Iron Fist and see him right through to the Defenders and see how much the character changes along the way and really
grows into himself. And he's definitely inspired when he meets these other three people with abilities to kind of take his
responsibilities with more
purpose and drive. So yeah. Quite a journey. (Moderator) And there's all kinds of
kick buttery as well. (Finn) Oh for sure, yeah.
(Moderator) Mike,
(Audience) Whoo!!
what...
just like holding on to you like uh cause you're like, just so delightful.
You come out of Luke Cage, uh
you're... you're now the hero of Harlem. I
and... and I think one of the things because I think all these people have seen you
get socked in the face by by Danny Rand
and I think they all know that eventually the two of you are going to become friends, but
that's not what this is about is it? (Mike) No, no
and by the way that had even hurt; it wasn't (Finn) Yea, it did. Yea, it did. (Mike) It didn't hurt, it didn't hurt...
You hurt his hand.
You know this this story is something that we knew was coming
and I think the most interesting part of the Defenders is the relationships between
the people. And you know, the fight scenes are cool and everything,
but because we have such clear points of view, I think when we get together on screen,
and we start to bounce ideas off of one another and... and just have what we have off off-camera,
it's great.
And so those to me are the best parts of the series. um I loved working with Finn, loved working with
Krysten over here; we have a long history obviously,
and getting a chance to work with Matt
Sigourney you know, it just was a great cast. And what was great about it as an ensemble
is that we all shared the screen and we had time off and we enjoyed coming to set and we enjoyed seeing each other and
We'll, you know... (Finn) It was fun. (Mike) we'll always remember that, you know? (Finn) It was fun.
(Moderator) Krysten? (Krysten) Yes?
(Audience) Whoo!!
(Krysten) More please. (Moderator) How you doing?
You wouldn't think that Jessica Jones would be
comfortable hanging out with other people that
sort of fight for good. Like she's got her own
thing. (Krysten) Yeah. (Moderator) How did you approach it when you when you knew you were going to have to
be in scenes, like for example with with Charlie or Matt Murdoch;
what was that... that was like? I mean, obviously you knew Luke, but... but
Matt Murdock was a whole new
fish. (Krysten) Well, Jessica doesn't really want to play with others. She doesn't ask, or want, help.
But at the end of the day, I think what we love about Jessica is that she... underneath it all she does
have a gooey inside, and she will rise to the occasion and help the little guy.
So she reluctantly
goes on a journey with these guys because she knows that she's valuable, because she's super strong.
But she takes every opportunity to make fun of everything they're doing, and
make fun of Daredevil's suit, and
make fun of all of it. So I think JJ, in the Defenders, brings a little bit of attitude and sass and... and the funny.
(Moderator) Sir Charles...
(Audience) Whoo!!
(Charlie) Charlie (Moderator) Charlie. (Some in the audience shouts something) (Moderator) Exactly!
I can't help that. Charlie, uh
you took the biggest risk. You were the first one.
Someone had to go through the door and
it was a big risk. It was a big chance to
come out and be on the first show and... and
you put that on your shoulders and carried it.
Did you know this day was coming?
Did you ever suspect that you're going to work with all these people obviously none of these people existed when we started?
(Charlie) Yeah, I mean theoretically I did. I do remember
signing a contract
and... and there were being some vague
Section that mentioned a show called the Defenders, and I was, yeah sure, we'll get to that.
And then it just kind of happened so quickly.
so
It's kind of... it's so... as you guys probably know you know each year
we've, you know, with Daredevil than the other shows, we've we've been to New York comic-Con.
So it's kind of a wonderful celebration that we get to come here to Hall H. I've heard so much about it;
I've never been to San Diego and this is our... celebration. Yeah.
(Moderator) They're not a team, like there's no leader. There's no...
They're not wearing like... they don't go in a tower that has a big "A" on it or anything like that.
(Marcos) So I don't get the reference.
(Moderator) Just to talk a little bit about the
dynam... sort of the fun of the show is
that we didn't have to worry about that, did we? (Marcos) Yeah, the fun of the show
is that this is not the kind of show.
And I think if anybody who's watched any of the four shows knows, this isn't the kind of show where they're ever going to have
a headquarters
You know, nobody's getting fitted for suits. There are no t-shirts.
Jessica is going to look at Danny and say, "Your fist doesn't make any sense to me".
It'll all... yeah, so we knew we had to kind of come in on a very grounded level, not necessarily
what one would expect from a quote unquote superheroes story?
Because they're also
independent and grounded and organic and they exist in the back alleys. And if the big superhero movies are happening in the skies,
these people are all having fights in the back alleys and in really shitty bars and
bad bars
you