Summary
Iron Fist and Luke CageMCUreturn rumors were refueled when actor Finn Jones posted an intriguing photo on social media. However, fans hoping for the long-awaited Marvel team-up may have read too much into the image.
Finn Jones first starred as Danny Rand/Iron Fist in the eponymous character’s solo Netflix series, while Colter first appeared as Luke Cage in Krysten Ritter’sJessica Jonesbefore starring in his own Marvel show. All 3 series joinedDaredevilas part of Netflix’s plan tobuild towardThe Defenders, a team-up miniseries that brought together Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage against a common threat to New York City. Unfortunately, none of these shows lasted long afterThe Defenders. Netflix canceled each series and eventually removed them from the platform, leaving fans to wonder if the characters would ever be integrated into theMCUproper.
Since then, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and many supporting characters from his solo series have joined the MCU, prompting fans to hope the other Defenders characters may follow. Recently,Finn Jonesshared a photo on his Instagram Stories feed that featured the contents of his travel bag, including a prominently placedPower Man and Iron Fistcomic. Fans immediately suspected Finn Jones was hinting that he might reprise his role as Iron Fist, possibly alongside Colter as Luke Cage. While neither Finn Jones nor Marvel Studios has officially confirmed or denied the former’s return, scooperMyTimeToShineHelloclaimed the actor will not reprise his role as Iron Fist in the MCU.
For the uninitiated,Power Man and Iron Fistwas a Marvel Comics series that was launched to save both characters' from cancellation when their respective comics became unviable. While there were hints at this team-up when Iron Fist and Luke Cage interacted in Netflix’s Marvel shows, many fans felt there was a missed opportunity to tackle social issues by contrasting Danny Rand’s upbringing as a rich white man with Luke Cage’s history as a former convict fighting crime in the streets of Harlem. AlthoughIron Fistwas not the adaptation fans wanted, some were willing to give Finn Jones the benefit of the doubt and attribute the show’s negative reviews to poor writing rather than his performance and would have been open to his return to the MCU, especially if it meant they would get a comic-accurate team-up with Luke Cage.
Still, Finn Jones may be readingPower Man and Iron Fistfor amusement rather than research. However, fans can be forgiven for potentially over-analyzing a photo. After all, this isn’t the first time an actor from Marvel’s Netflix shows shared a photo that potentially suggested their MCU return. In January, fans thoughtRitter dropped clues about Jessica Jones' MCU returnwhen she shared a photo of herself wearing one of the t-shirts her character wore. So, fans are searching for any reason to hope that their favorite Defenders characters will return.
Iron Fistis available on Disney Plus.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
