Mike Colter Addresses Marvel's Luke Cage Return: "It's in the Rear View Mirror" (Exclusive)
Marvel's Luke Cage star Mike Colter, currently out promoting his new movie Plane (with 300 star Gerard Butler), would be down to play Luke Cage again if the opportunity came knocking -- but he isn't sitting around waiting for it. Originally introduced in a self-titled series on Netflix, Colter's Cage would go on to appear in Marvel's Defenders, a team-up of the various street-level vigilantes appearing in Netflix's shared Marvel Universe. Its tenuous ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe were seemingly severed when Kevin Feige took over Marvel Television and all the series came to an end -- but some of the stars are coming back now.
Charlie Cox, who reprised his role as lawyer Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, will once again suit up as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again, an upcoming series on Disney+ that will also star Vincent D'Onofrio, reprising his Daredevil (Netflix) role as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime. But is Colter staying in fighting shape, in case he gets the call on the Defenders Hotline?
"I just try to stay in reasonable shape just because, but I don't think about Luke Cage opportunities," Colter told ComicBook.com's Chris Killian. "It's one of those things where it's in the rear view mirror at this point. If somehow I get a call, my dance card is kind of full. But if I get a call, something happens, great. I had a good time. I'm happy, more than happy, to let someone else take on that mantle or that role. That character's living on for a long time. Fans are going to have that character in one way, shape, or form for the rest of their lives, and I'm happy to have been a part of that for those guys."
Most of the Marvel-Netflix shows were received warmly by fans, with enthusiastic audiences lavishing praise on Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher. Only Iron Fist drew jeers, but between Marvel's internal politics and the middling reception of Marvel's The Defenders, many fans weren't surprised when Feige decided to pull the plug on the adult-oriented Marvel shows.
After making an appearance in Hawkeye, Kingpin will be featured on both Daredevil: Born Again and Echo. In general, it seems like the characters will be toned down somewhat to match the PG-13 aesthetic of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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The original version of this story referred to Daredevil: Born Again as Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. We regret the error.