Someone else from Daredevil will return in The Defenders
David Farnor | On 08, Nov 2016
Just when you think it’s safe to leave the casting room, The Defenders announces another supporting character from the MCU will return.
Elektra will appear in the Netflix crossover series next year, which will unite Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and Daredevil. Elodie Yung’s Elektra, of course, was introduced in Season 2 of the latter, as an old flame of Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and a lethal weapon in her own right.
Broken by EW, the news of Elektra’s return will come as little surprise to Daredevil fans, after Season 2 ended with The Hand recovering “Black Sky”, following the events of the finale. But it does give us more of an idea of the villainous forces our team will be up against, with Sigourney Weaver already confirmed as the show’s Big Bad. Will that mysterious joke in the middle of New York be the next familiar face to be announced as returning?
The Defenders signs up every Marvel Netflix supporting character you can think of
3rd November 2016
The Defenders is continuing to bulk up its ensemble in time for its premiere next year, by signing up almost every Marvel Netflix supporting character you can think of.
The crossover series will see Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones) team up to fight a villain played by Sigourney Weaver. Those characters, though, are nothing with a little help from their friends – and so the series has already announced that our lead quartet will be joined by Simone Missick’s Misty Knight (from Luke Cage) and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page (from Daredevil).
Now, they’ve added a whole wave of additional sidekicks, starting with Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple, Rachael Taylor’s Trish Walker (Jessica Jones) and Scott Glenn’s Stick (Daredevil). Oh, and Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson (Daredevil), Carrie-Anne Moss’ Hogarth (Jessica Jones) and Eka Darville’s Malcolm (Jessica Jones).
The final announcement in a week full of casting announcements is Jessica Henwick, who plays Colleen Wing in the upcoming Iron Fist, alongside Finn Jones’ Danny Rand. Unlike the other sidekicks, though, we haven’t seen her in action yet – until now, thanks to a brief teaser video tweeted by the Marvel show’s official account:
For @MarvelIronFist's @Jhenwick, this fight is just beginning. #Defenders pic.twitter.com/QpwzFsvdvf
— The Defenders (@TheDefenders) November 3, 2016
The Defenders premieres on Netflix in 2017.
Deborah Ann Woll and Simone Missick join The Defenders
1st November 2016
Deborah Ann Woll and Simone Missick have both joined the cast of Marvel’s The Defenders.
The crossover series will bring together the four Hell’s Kitchen heroes: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist.
The eight-episode series, which is set to debut in 2017, will see Mike Colter reprise his role as Cage, Charlie Cox return as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, and Finn Jones as Danny Rand, aka. Iron Fist.
It was recently announced that Sigourney Weaver will join the cast as the series’ villain, with Jessica Jones director SJ Clarkson returning at the helm for the first two episodes.
More familiar faces will also appear in the show, Marvel announced yesterday. Deborah Ann Woll and Simone Missick will reprise their roles as Karen Page and Misty Knight respectively. Ann Woll’s Page, who was recently confirmed to appear in The Punisher’s spin-off series, and Missick’s Knight, who stole the show in Luke Cage, were both among the strongest components of their respective Marvel series – and they follow in the footsteps of Rosario’s Dawson’s Claire Temple in providing a bridge between the Netflix comic book series.
Get ready. @deborahannwoll & @SimoneMissick return for The #Defenders. pic.twitter.com/Yjz6m6xuQ0
— The Defenders (@TheDefenders) October 31, 2016
Jessica Jones’ SJ Clarkson to direct The Defenders
29th October 2016
Jessica Jones helmer SJ Clarkson will return to the Marvel universe to direct The Defenders.
Netflix’s crossover series will bring together its four Hell’s Kitchen heroes: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. The eight-episode series is set to debut in 2017, with Mike Colter reprising his role as Cage, Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, and Finn Jones as Danny Rand, whose solo outing, Iron Fist, will pave the way for The Defenders in March.
It was recently announced that Sigourney Weaver will join the cast as the series’ villain. Other details have been kept under wraps, with Marvel’s official synopsis reading as follows:
“A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal – to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realise they just might be stronger when teamed together.”
The project is moving forwards, though, with the official appointment of a director. No stranger to Netflix, after a stint on Orange Is the New Black as well as Jessica Jones, Clarkson will direct the first two episodes of The Defenders.
Clarkson will also serve as an Executive Producer on the premiere episode, alongside Marco Ramirez (Daredevil) and Doug Petrie (Daredevil), Drew Goddard (Daredevil), Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Head of TV) and Jim Chory (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage).
“S.J.’s take on the material is outstanding. We loved her work on Marvel’s Jessica Jones and couldn’t think of a more talented and accomplished person to helm the first two episodes of Marvel’s The Defenders,” comments Loeb.
Daredevil duo sign up as showrunners for Marvel’s The Defenders
17th April 2016
Netflix and Marvel have finally found the showrunners for their crossover series, The Defenders.
The show will unite Daredevil with fellow Hell’s Kitchen vigilantes Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist for a mini-series event that will see Marvel’s heroes face their biggest threat yet. It follows solo outings for each of the four heroes – played by Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones respectively – and some familiar faces from one of them will be leading the project.
Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez, both veterans of Marvel’s Daredevil, will return showrunners for Netflix’s Marvel Universe, with another alum from Daredevil, Drew Goddard, also joining as an Executive Producer.
That team-up off-screen is as promising as the one on-screen, suggesting not only the tone of the crossover event series, but also the level of quality that can be expected.
“Doug and Marco captivated our members around the world with their continuation of the story of Matt Murdock in Marvel’s Daredevil, and we can’t wait to see how they and Drew will introduce the full Defenders team to our global audience,” says Cindy Holland, Netflix Vice President of Original Content.
“We’re incredibly excited to be able to bring our four street level heroes together in an epic tale woven by Doug and Marco whose work on Marvel’s Daredevil speaks for itself,” adds Executive Producer/Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb. “They write and produce not only great action and adventure, but also the heart and touch of humor that’s makes us Marvel. With the inclusion of Drew Goddard, we’ve got a team that’s as formidable as the Defenders themselves.”
“This is the big one. Four amazing casts, four amazing series, now all in one amazing story,” comment Showrunners and Executive Producers Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez. “We are thrilled at the opportunity to deliver the show that both we and the fans have been waiting for.”
Netflix’s The Defenders set to start shooting this year
12th April 2016
Netflix’s The Defenders looks set to start shooting this year, Charlie Cox has announced.
The actor, who plays Daredevil in Marvel’s Netflix original series, was speaking at a press event in Paris, which has seen Netflix make a raft of announcements about its upcoming slate of shows.
Cox, of course, will be one of the four main stars of The Defenders, a crossover event series that will see Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage unite following their individual solo outings. Talking after the launch of Daredevil Season 2 last month, he confirmed that there is no word yet on a third outing for the blind lawyer vigilante.
“We don’t know if there’s going to be a season three,” he told journalists. “I certainly don’t know.”
Before Daredevil fans panic, though, he did reveal that The Defenders is currently expected to begin filming by the end of 2016.
“What we do know is at the end of this year we’re going to be making The Defenders and, of course, Daredevil is very much a part of that foursome,” he added.
“I have no idea what the storyline is going to be for that show. I’m very excited to see how those world’s combine… and interested to see tonally how those shows become one.”
In terms of wrapping up storylines left hanging in Daredevil Season 2, “maybe they’ll do some of that in The Defenders,” said Cox, “or maybe they won’t”.
The comments give some indication of how Marvel and Netflix’s joint series are likely to pan out in the coming years: with shooting now underway on Luke Cage ahead of a 30th September release date, a similar slot to Jessica Jones’ first season last year, and with Iron Fist set to shoot after or at the same time, we can expect Danny Rand’s solo outing in March next year, with the Avengers-style crossover therefore on course for an autumn 2017 release.
If that is how the superhero slate unfolds, Jessica Jones’ second season and Daredevil’s third run (if it happens) would then be unlikely to start production until 2017 for probable 2018 release dates.
Still making your way through Matt Murdock’s latest adventure? You can catch up with our reviews of Daredevil Season 2 here.