Who will play Daniel Rand?
The MCU Netflix shows are in full effect, as 2015 gave the first seasons of both Daredevil and Jessica Jones.
There’s a lot more coming though, as Daredevil season two will debut this March, Jessica Jones has been picked up for a second season, Punisher is getting a spinoff show, and Luke Cage is set to premiere later this year.
Speaking of Luke Cage, the titular star, Mike Coulter, recently let it slip that the lead for the upcoming Iron Fist series has been cast.
During the Netflix portion of the TCA Press Tour, Coulter jokingly teased that Marvel has cast Iron Fist, and how that series will fit into the greater Netflix MCU continuity:
“The actor has been cast, but he’s in a basement somewhere. When the time is right, they’ll let him up and tell him where he is. I am [excited]. I’ll get a nice little break, after doing Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. Whether I’m in [his show], I don’t know, but there’s The Defenders.”
Mike Coulter (Luke Cage) and Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) on the set of Jessica Jones.
Before we dive into who Iron Fist is, and casting speculation, here’s how the Netflix Marvel shows will connect:
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist have/will star in their own Netflix series, which will lead into a Defenders miniseries featuring the four heroes fighting together. Production for Marvel’s The Defenders will not begin until the four individual series have begun, so it’s still some time away.
Iron Fist (Daniel Rand) is a martial artist who can call upon the power of the Iron Fist (surprise), which concentrates his chi into his hand, giving him enhanced strength. In the comics, he is often associated with the individualistic Defenders, as well as the Heroes for Hire.
Now, who could Marvel have cast as Iron Fist?
Our biggest lead right now is Ryan Phillippe, who revealed last year he was in talks with Marvel over a role for a series, but we haven’t heard anything since.
Could the Flags of our Fathers star secretly be the man with the Iron Fist? Perhaps, but chances are it won’t be long before Marvel reveals the true identity of the final Defender.
