The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a recent streak of bringing back characters we thought were long gone. Just when we assumed the story of both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker was definitely over, they suited up for one more ride in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Furthermore, many actors from the original X-Men movie will reprise their iconic roles (albeit as different variants) in the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. Finally, we can't forget about the Devil of Hell's Kitchen himself, who now has his own Disney+ series after his Netflix adaptation was cancelled.
It's been nice to see so many familiar faces steal the spotlight on the big and small screens yet again, and the best part is that this is only the beginning. Marvel recently confirmed that yet another Defender will make its MCU debut next year, as Krysten Ritter will be back as Jessica Jones in Daredevil: Born Again season 2. But as exciting as the news was, it also prompted many questions about the fates of Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Could any of them be gearing up for one more adventure as well? Fortunately, we finally have a definitive answer after weeks of speculation.
Iron Fist will appear in the Eyes of Wakanda series
Eyes of Wakanda is an upcoming anthology series set to be released on Disney+ later this August. This animated adventure will take audiences on a journey throughout the years as they witness how the Hatut Zaraze—powerful Wakandan warriors—retrieve stolen Vibranium from those who want it for selfish (and likely evil) motives. In anticipation of the series' release, Marvel released the first episode, titled "Into the Lion’s Den", at the Annecy Animation Festival. Furthermore, Director Todd Harris also gave us an exciting tease of some of the surprises that are awaiting us.
As reported by Variety, Eyes of Wakanda will consist of "self-contained" 30-minute episodes that will take place across different eras. However, that's not to say there won't be a larger story at play. Characters from the bigger Marvel Universe are bound to make an appearance as well, and one of them is none other than Iron Fist himself. So, does that mean Danny Rand—the most iconic version of the hero—is officially back after a long hiatus? Well, not exactly, as Todd Harris hinted that we might get to see someone else adopt the mantle:
There will be an Iron Fist in here, and not the Iron Fist you expect.
It's important to remember that the very first time an Iron Fist appeared in the MCU was during yet another anthology project. Jun-Fan acted as one of the supporting characters in What If...? season 3, episode 6, where he helped Kate Bishop and Shan-Chi free the Old West from The Hood's influence. With that in mind, could Marvel look to bring Jun-Fan back once again for Eyes of Wakanda? Or could we see someone else, such as Li Park, steal the spotlight?
According to Todd Harris, one of the missions of Eyes of Wakanda is for audiences to get to know more about the history and culture that "built" a Black Panther. While an exciting concept in itself, could we also indirectly learn about the city of K'un-Lun and how an Iron Fist comes to be? It would be the perfect timing to do so, considering that multiple reports indicate Daredevil: Born Again will feature the return of Finn Jones' Danny Rand. Not only that, but it's also rumored that his character will be back from retirement to act as a mentor to another hero, who could very well be the next Iron Fist.
Marvel rarely does things without thinking about the bigger picture. Granted, a few storylines haven't been followed up even after many years (looking at you, Spider-Man: Homecoming post-credits scene). But more often than not, every easter egg hints towards an upcoming arc or superhero appearance. So, it shouldn't be a coincidence that the MCU is exploring the backstory behind the Iron Fist (and potentially K'un-Lun) in Eyes of Wakanda. With a bit of luck, it's also a sign of bigger things to come.
Eyes of Wakanda will be released on Aug. 6, 2025