If you poll one hundred people and ask their opinions on the Marvel Netflix shows, you’ll likely get one hundred different responses. Each show (Daredevil, Punisher, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, The Defenders, and Jessica Jones) had different themes and vibes. It makes sense considering each character differed in various ways. And, if we're being honest, the ball was dropped on some of the programs.
As Marvel Studios began pushing to bring their comic book characters “home”, Netflix canceled their Marvel shows. After that, it seemed like we’d seen the last of Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), Mike Colter (Luke Cage), and Finn Jones (The Immortal Iron Fist, Danny Rand). Thanks to a report from Entertainment Weekly, they could become part of the MCU like Charlie Cox's Daredevil.
Marvel's head of streaming, television, and animation Brad Winderbaum said, "we are very much exploring" bringing back Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, Mike Colter's Luke Cage, and Finn Jones' Iron Fist/Danny Rand to the Marvel Cinematic Universe."
"I can't say much, but I'll tell you that it's so exciting to be able to play in that sandbox."Brad Winderbaum
This is exciting news if you’re a fan of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, or the performers who played them. This writer believes the criticism each show receives shouldn’t be blamed solely on the actors or the creative team. For example, people criticized Finn Jones for Iron Fist being bad. However, you can look at how good he was in Defenders and his appearance in Luke Cage and see that he can play the character. It also looked like there was a plan for the Iron Fist cast and it looked good. A change in platform and creators could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
As nice as it would be to see each of The Defenders in their own show, that isn’t a good idea. Daredevil and Punisher have proven to be profitable and popular shows with them as stars. That’s why The Man Without Fear is getting a project and Frank Castle (played by Jon Bernthal) will appear and possibly get a solo project. Jessica Jones could survive because she’s popular and everyone loves Krysten Ritter. Luke Cage is beloved as is Iron Fist. But the duo would work better together as Heroes for Hire instead of individually.
It would be nice to see the actors reprise their roles, but maybe it’s time to move on. It’s different with Charlie Cox because he’s been regarded as one of the best performers to portray a comic book character. The same goes for Jon Bernthal. And since this is a new universe, a fresh set of performers could elevate the characters to a higher level. That’s not to say that Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones can’t do the job. But it could be time to move on. Say tuned to Bam Smack Pow to see if that happens.
What do you think? Do you want the original Defenders cast to return in the MCU? Let us know on our social media sites Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.