We really live an interesting era where comic book characters are starting to get screen time. Marvel hit movies gave them enough credibility to try their Cinematic Universe on the Netflix screen, and they green-lit four shows with Daredevil, Jessica Jones, as well as Luke Cage and Iron Fist. All these series will be combined on The Defenders, and there has been some news about casting.
Right now, there is a lot of hype focused on Daredevil, as Season 2 starts next week on March 18. Much of the focus is on two major Marvel characters who will make their live-action debut in this darker Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The first is the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), who looks to be the big bad villain on the show like Wilson Fisk was in Season 1. He is not really a villain as he is a vigilante, shooting criminals who he finds guilty. It looks like Matt Murdock (Daredevil's real name, played by Charlie Cox) will have to fight a villain who is not too far from who he is.
Another source of conflict for Matt will be the introduction of Elektra (Elodie Yung). Elektra is also a crime-fighter who doesn't really have any qualms about killing, and she and Matt have had a relationship in the past that was referenced in Season 1.
What is unknown is how the first season of Jessica Jones will affect Daredevil Season 2. Viewers have noticed Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) as well as officer Brett Mahoney have appeared on both shows, but the storylines on each series did not crossover, operating independent.
This will change when Luke Cage begins, as the character of Luke Cage (Mike Colter) has been introduced as a major character. The show will appear in 2016 at an undetermined time. Not much is known about Luke Cage, and it used to be that hardly anything was heard about the fourth show, Iron Fist. It was only recently revealed last week that Finn Jones from Game of Thrones will be playing the title character who has the real name of Daniel Rand.
What has now been revealed is that Executive Produce of Iron Fist, Steve Buck, is "exclusively auditioning males of Asian descent". This has given rise to the rumor that Shang-Chi will be joining the cast, according to iDigitalTimes.
If you aren't familiar with Shang-Chi, he once had his own comic known as The Master of Kung-Fu. Shang-Chi has no superpowers, but he can harness a superhuman power from chi. As for Iron Fist, he can harness his chi into his "iron fist", and it looks like Netflix is about foray into mysticism in the darker Marvel Cinematic Universe. By the way, Luke Cage and Daniel Rand also used to work together as Power Man and Iron Fist.
Speaking of working together, when these heroes finally get together, it should be epic. So far, there isn't any word of when The Defenders will be out, but it will presumably after Iron Fist, which might be before or after Jessica Jones Season 2.
