The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, thanks to projects in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. But those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will remember when the universe's small-screen outings were actually over on Netflix. There were a number of series available, including Luke Cage. Now that Charlie Cox is back a Daredevil, Marvel alum Mike Colter revealed what could convince him to return as Luke Cage, and I think it's a great idea.
What we know about Daredevil: Born Again is limited, but fans are hyped for the title character to take center stage after cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk. But that's led to fan discussion about whether other characters like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. While speaking on Stars on Sirius XM, Colter explained what could bring him back as Power Man himself. In his words:
At this point, I could see myself revisiting Luke Cage because there's been enough time and I've done enough things where I feel like, ‘OK, that doesn't feel repetitive.’ There could be another journey, another chapter for that character, but with the Disney of it all, what their direction in terms of those characters, I think Luke and Jessica had some social commentary and I don't know if they're up for that 'cause that's what made our series unique. There's a little bit of social commentary there.
There you go. It sounds like if Marvel wants to bring back Colter as Luke Cage, they need to have the same tone and commentary for the character that was present through show's original two-season run that aired for those with a Netflix subscription.
Colter's comments will make a great deal of sense for those who were fans of the Luke Cage series. The series had a unique visual language (especially in Season 1), nodding to blaxploitation subgenre. It also included conversations about race and class that weren't seen in any other MCU projects at the time. In the same interview, the Evil star spoke more about what his MCU show achieved during its time on TV, offering:
We're not just, you know, fighting random people for the sake of whatever. There was a community. There was a demographic that was touched by our stories, so if they would revisit that, I think I would be up for it. You know, the timing's right now. You know what I mean? The timing is right. Otherwise, you know, me a few years ago, I was like, ‘I don't know.’ I was like, ‘This is interesting,’ so I'm that kind of person. I just need to figure out where I am, you know, how I feel about it. I'm inspired by whatever they're presenting to me.
There you have it. While Colton seems down to return to his heroic role, he would want to make sure that it happened under the right context. Specifically, the same cultural discussions that made the stories of Luke Cage so rich. We'll just have to wait and see if Kevin Feige and company end up taking him up on this offer.
All that being said, the Netflix MCU shows have never been more relevant to the larger shared universe. Kingpin appeared in Hawkeye and Echo, while the new Daredevil series is also bringing back Punisher. So it definitely seems possible to see Luke Cage again.
The next upcoming Marvel movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
