Identity of the MCU's Iron Fist "revealed"; might come as a surprise

As Marvel Studios continues to expand its MCU franchise onto the Disney Plus streaming service, more possibilities are presenting themselves to the juggernaut. From the recent Marvel Spotlight series Echo to the animated companion MCU show What If...?, its trying out new things and even though there have been highs and lows throughout the Multiverse Saga, most of them are working.

They've even found a way to bring back some of the classic Marvel TV heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio reprising their roles from Netflix's Daredevil as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk in multiple MCU properties already. And with them both returning for their own series, Daredevil: Born Again, fans are wondering if any of the other Netflix characters will return too.

A new rumor suggests that one could do that, but it also suggests that there could be a twist.

The MCU's Iron Fist rumored to be Danny Rand

According to Marvel insider Marvel News (via social media platform X, formerly Twitter), Iron Fist is set to appear in Shang-Chi 2 and the character is rumored to be the Danny Rand version. However, they also reveal that, at this point in time, it's unknown if Finn Jones will be reprising his role from the Iron Fist Netflix series.

There have been multiple versions of Iron Fist in the comics, but Danny Rand has been the longest-standing of them all. He has drawn criticism over the years as many felt that the Iron Fist should be an Asian-American character. While there were other characters to hold the mantle, Sword Master became his official successor when it was announced that Rand would leave the mantle behind. The character's series has received critical acclaim, with many applauding the decision to have a young Asian character become the iconic hero for a new generation.

The fact that Danny Rand is the one rumored to hold the mantle in the MCU may be disappointing for fans hoping for a new chapter in the Iron Fist's legacy, but it also isn't surprising due to recent developments in the franchise. With the release of Marvel's Echo earlier this year, all of the Marvel Netflix shows have been retroactively welcomed into the franchise as canon, meaning that Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Defenders, The Punisher, and yes, Iron Fist are all now canon in the MCU. And that means that Danny Rand is the hero to hold the mantle of the Iron Fist.

The interesting thing about this rumor is the uncertainty about whether Finn Jones would reprise the role. The star took a large part of the brunt of the negative reception geared towards Iron Fist but he wasn't the problem with the show; it had a lot of issues that prevented him and the rest of the cast from showcasing their full potential, but he wasn't to blame for that. The second season was much stronger and allowed him to shine much brighter, even if the show didn't soar like some of the other Marvel shows.

Somewhere along the line, Marvel Studios made the decision to welcome the Netflix shows into the MCU umbrella (they were always loosely tied to the franchise but it's only since the beginning of this year that they are officially considered canon), and that will be clearer than ever when Daredevil: Born Again is released in 2025. Cox and D'Onofrio will be joined by their former co-stars Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Hensen (Foggy Nelson), Ayelet Zurer (Vanessa Fisk) and Jon Bernthal (The Punisher), bringing more characters from that world into the MCU. Iron Fist seemed like it was an inevitability too.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was one of the Multiverse Saga's biggest success stories and a sequel to it was also inevitable. Iron Fist has been a rumored character for some time now, so this is just another report that suggests he could play a role. It sounds like the Netflix version of the character could return, but we'll have to wait and see if that turns out to be true.