In a recent interview with Collider, Mike Colter expressed continued hope for his potential return as Luke Cage to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His comments are timely, considering Marvel Studios is actively reintegrating Netflix’s Defenders characters into the main MCU continuity through Daredevil: Born Again. Colter first appeared as Luke Cage in the first season of Jessica Jones before headlining his own series for two seasons. He also starred in the crossover miniseries The Defenders alongside Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones). Fans last saw Harlem’s bulletproof hero in 2018 during the Luke Cage season two finale, when Cage took over the Harlem’s Paradise nightclub and positioned himself as the neighborhood’s protective crime boss.
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“I still have hopes for it,” Colter stated. “I don’t think about it anymore. I think there’s always time. I don’t think it’s impossible. Anything can happen.” The actor’s optimism is well-placed given how successfully Daredevil: Born Again has bridged the Netflix era with the current MCU. The Disney+ series not only brings back Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, but also Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, and Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson. This approach establishes a clear precedent for other Defenders characters potentially making their way back to the screen, with Luke Cage being a natural candidate given his popularity and established presence in New York City.
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Netflix systematically canceled all of its Marvel shows over a four-month period between 2018 and 2019. The process began in October 2018 with Iron Fist, followed by Luke Cage just one week later that same month. Daredevil was canceled in November 2018, while Jessica Jones and The Punisher received their cancellation notices in February 2019. This process coincided with Disney’s preparation to launch its own streaming service, Disney+, though neither company explicitly connected these events. At the time, Netflix stated that the Marvel shows would remain on the service, where they stayed until February 2022, when they moved to Disney+. The rights to these characters, which had previously belonged to Netflix, returned to Marvel Studios after a two-year waiting period following the cancellation, allowing for their current integration into the MCU.
Wilson Fisk’s Born Again Arc Creates Perfect Opportunity for Luke Cage’s Return
The current storyline in Daredevil: Born Again establishes a clear narrative foundation for Luke Cage’s potential return to the MCU. Wilson Fisk has become mayor of New York City on an explicit anti-vigilante platform. This political strategy directly opposes the work of street-level heroes like Daredevil. Naturally, it extends to other vigilantes operating in different neighborhoods, including Harlem, where Luke Cage established himself as a public protector.
Marvel Studios executives have openly discussed the possibility of bringing back more Defenders characters. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, recently addressed this potential reunion directly. “We are very much exploring” bringing back the complete Defenders lineup, Winderbaum confirmed. Speaking ahead of Daredevil: Born Again‘s premiere, he added, “They live and breathe in a world where these other Defenders characters are walking around somewhere, so I think collisions are inevitable.” This statement officially acknowledges that Marvel Studios is actively discussing the return of characters like Luke Cage.
New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.
Do you want to see Mike Colter return as Luke Cage in the MCU? What role should he play in confronting Mayor Fisk? Share your thoughts in the comments!
