As you already know, Netflix has said that it plans to release a new Marvel superhero series about every six months (in addition to the dozen or so Marvel movies that are scheduled to be released over the next 5 years; and let’s not forget the other dozen that will come from the Warner Bros/DC Comics union).
The first in the series, “Daredevil,” premiered in 2015. It was followed by the “Jessica Jones” series; then there was season 2 of “Daredevil”; premiering last fall was the much-anticipated “Luke Cage” series; and finally, there was the “Iron Fist” earlier this year.
But that’s not all! The Marvel/Netflix deal includes five separate superhero franchises, focusing on a group of comic book heroes called The Defenders – a kind of street-level Avengers team. Members are Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. The previously-released 4 series will be supplemented by a “Defenders” series. The quad will join forces in a combined “Defenders” season, now that each has been introduced with its own first season, which will be the 5th in the series.
Netflix also announced a spin-off of “Daredevil” villain, The Punisher, to be played by Jon Bernthal, who appeared in season 2 of “Daredevil.”
“That’s the beauty of the Marvel universe,” Netflix chief Ted Sarandos said last year.
Indeed it is… cha-ching!
By the way, “Luke Cage” star Simone Missick, who plays Misty Knight, will also appear in “The Defenders” Netflix series. Certainly not a surprise; these characters inhabit one Marvel universe, and the studio loves to make connections between individual worlds, so whether it’s Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple showing up in “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist,” or Simone Missick’s Misty Knight appearing in “Luke Cage,” and, later, “The Defenders,” expect these characters to appear across series.
Whether we’ll eventually see the superhero version of Misty Knight that was created by Tony Isabella and Arvell Jones in the comic book version, remains to be seen. For those unaware, according to the Marvel lore, Misty was seriously injured preventing a bomb attack back when she was a police officer with the NYPD. Her right arm was amputated and rather than take a desk job, she resigned from the police force. Tony Stark (Iron Man) provided her a bionic arm which endowed her superhuman strength. She’s been affiliated with Iron Fist, and of course Luke Cage (and other Marvel superheroes). In the Netflix series, she’s a detective. Misty Knight’s comic book skills include superhuman strength, to start. She’s been romantically linked to Iron Fist as well; although she didn’t appear in the Netflix/Marvel “Iron Fist” series.
But the superhero version of Misty Knight would certainly be cool to see on screen.
Executive produced by Douglas Petrie, Marco Ramirez, Drew Goddard and Jeph Loeb, “Marvel’s The Defenders” arrives in 2017 and unites Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, Mike Colter’s Luke Cage and Finn Jones’ Iron Fist.
In a brief teaser video released by Netflix on YouTube this morning, security camera footage shows The Defenders in an elevator in Midland Circle, the mysterious corporation we learned about in “Daredevil” season 2. Suddenly Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones eyes the security camera in the elevator and smashes it exactly at the 08:18:20:17 mark. That has of course led to speculation that Netflix has found a clever way to unveil the premiere date for the series: 8/18/2017. It would certainly be in-line with their “release about every 6 months” schedule, given that “Iron Fist” premiered in March. (UPDATE: Netflix has confirmed that 8/18/2017 is indeed the premiere date).
Also, at the top left of the video you’ll find an IP address: 23.253.120.81. If you enter that address into your browser, it takes you to a website for “The New York Bulletin,” the newspaper where Vondie Curtis-Hall’s Ben Urich character is an investigative journalist in the “Daredevil” series. On it, you’ll find pieces on the individual Defenders, and an interview with Ward Meachum and Joy Meachum from “Iron Fist.”
Netflix quickly pulled the video teaser, as if it was a mistake that it was published in the first place; but Netflix rarely makes that kind of an error, so it’s possible that this is all part of some marketing strategy. But luckily, a number of very quick YouTubers were able to download and re-upload the teaser, so it’s back online. Watch it below:
