Mike Colter Teases Luke Cage Return After Years Away
The former Netflix star drops hints about rejoining Marvel's expanding universe, revealing private conversations and personal motivations for potentially stepping back into the superhero role.
Mike Colter wants back in. The actor who brought Luke Cage to life on Netflix is dropping heavy hints about returning to Marvel's world, and he's not being subtle about it.
"Listen, I will say this, I've had conversations... and I'll leave it at that," Colter revealed during an appearance on the On That Note Podcast. "Because when it wrapped... y'know I loved playing Luke Cage but I love acting and doing different things. So I just was like, 'I'll do something else.' I love the fans and I love that world. And it's been years now. So now, I'm doing other projects, but now I think to myself 'I have some unfinished business there.'"
The Netflix Era Returns
Marvel's Netflix experiment launched with Daredevil and Jessica Jones in 2015. Success bred expansion. Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher followed. The grand finale brought everyone together in The Defenders.
Colter's Luke Cage series ran two seasons starting in 2016. The cast was stacked: Rosario Dawson, Mahershala Ali, and Stephen Rider, who's now starring in It: Welcome to Derry.
Missing the Call
Daredevil: Born Again's first season brought back Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle. Season two adds Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones to the mix. That reunion sparked immediate speculation about a full Defenders comeback.
Colter hasn't gotten that call yet. "I talked to Cheo [Hodari Coker] about it, he was the creator and showrunner [on Netflix's Luke Cage series], and now I've reached the point where I'm like, 'I have some unfinished business' and I think Daredevil's back so, c'mon... Jessica's back."
The timing feels right. Daredevil: Born Again season 2 drops on Disney Plus this March. Marvel's clearly mining their Netflix catalog for talent. Colter's ready to answer when they call.