Once Marvel and Netflix took a calculated risk with Daredevil Season 1, the show proved to be such a hit that audiences demanded a Season 2. Of course, this was all part of a plan to create four shows including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and combine them all like the Avengers films with The Defenders, which also takes place in the same universe as the Avengers. A recent trailer for Captain America: Civil War may have given audiences a taste of things to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for The Avengers and The Defenders.
Last night, during Super Bowl 50, there was a new trailer for Captain America: Civil War that showed how the conflict between Captain America and Iron Man is going to come to blows. It shows that Iron Man saying (presumably to Captain America) "you chose the wrong side", and the trailer ends showing the two teams. On one side is Captain America along with The Falcon, Ant-Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and The Winter Soldier. On Iron Man's team is the Vision, Black Widow, War Machine, and the Black Panther. So what is separating these heroes? Early trailers seem to hint that it is related to The Winter Soldier, but part of it could be the legislation of all the superheroes that have appeared within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Considering that Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and all of the Netflix series take place within the same universe as the Avengers films, Captain America: Civil War looks like it could take the universe into a completely different direction. With Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice introducing movie audiences to the old comic book convention of superheroes fighting superheroes in March, it looks like Civil War continues the theme a few months later in May, and Marvel's version could put a rift in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that could affect all films after it, as well as the Netflix/Marvel series.
Of course, the Marvel/Netflix shows are definitely not designed with kids in mind, dealing with very serious issues, and shining the spotlight in dark places. This could be true for Season 2 of Daredevil, which is going to really embrace the idea of super-vigilantism with two new characters who are comic book fan-favorites: Elektra (Elodie Yung) and The Punisher (Jon Bernthal).
Daredevil (aka Matt Murdock, attorney-at-law, played by Charlie Cox) went through the entirety of Season 1 contemplating the superhero's morals, wondering if he should kill to protect the citizens that he fights for. In the end, he chose not to, but The Punisher is at the other end of the spectrum as far as crime-fighting is concerned. Yes, The Punisher will kill his enemies, from the common criminal to the criminal mastermind, and Matt is going to have to deal with him head-on.
Also coming to the scene is Elektra, who also has looser morals when it comes to killing. It was mentioned in Season 1 that Matt had a Greek girlfriend that he broke it off with, and Elektra could be that. In the comics, Matt and Elektra were lovers, so the whole love-interest thing could occur, creating even more complexity when it comes to the idea of killing in the line of duty.
Speaking of killing the villains, Jessica Jones season 1 ended when the title character (Krysten Ritter) ended up killing the mind-controlling menace Kilgrave (David Tennant). Though the title character was apparently cleared of all the charges, it does bring up the subject of how far a hero has to go to fight for justice.
This question is probably going to be asked on Luke Cage. This series is expected to debut sometime later in 2016, and the character of Luke Cage (Mike Colter) had quite a major role on Jessica Jones. It will probably take place in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, showing a world where the common citizen could be very afraid of superheroes.
As for Iron Fist, there hasn't been much formal news about it, but there have been hints of the universe developing in Daredevil Season 1. The movie critic the BlockBuster Buster points out the Daredevil Season 1 has a scene where an illegal drug is being produced known as Steel Serpent, the nemesis of Iron Fist, who could be the main antagonist of that particular show. Daredevil also meets a woman named Madame Gao, and many have assumed that she could be the Iron Fist villain of Crane Mother. Madame Gao states that she is trying to go somewhere "that is hard to reach by common men". This could be an allusion to the city of K'un-Lun, a mystical city that plays an important role in Iron Man's origin.
Speaking of tie-ins, it looks like Daredevil and Jessica Jones have more than one character than the Night Nurse (Claire Temple, played by Rosario Dawson). An officer named Brett Mahoney (played by Royce Johnson) has appeared on both shows, and this cop is unique because he has not been corrupted. Perhaps he will come into both Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and it will be interesting to see how the world is developing around all of these characters as Marvel/Netflix move into the world of The Defenders.
Daredevil Season 2 plans on coming to Netflix on March 18th. Luke Cage should debut later in 2016, but there is no word on the specific release dates for Luke Cage or Iron Fist, nor for The Defenders, but Season 2 of Jessica Jones is coming possibly before or after The Defenders.
