How LUKE CAGE Plans On Being Different From DAREDEVIL & JESSICA JONES

While he has already made his television debut in Jessica Jones, Luke Cage will be stepping into the spotlight in his own show this September, and according to those involved, it will be completely different from both Jessica Jones and Daredevil. Last week at the red carpet premiere event for Captain America: Civil War, showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker and actress Simone Missick, (who portrays the cybernetically enhanced Misty Knight) were able to provide some insight on the show's overall direction, along with what will be done to differentiate it from its predecessors. 

When speaking on the importance of playing Misty Knight, Missick was rather enthusiastic about the role, "Misty Knight is so iconic and so important to so many people; you don't realize until you join the project. Every day was a gift. To be able to be a strong woman, who's passionate about doing her job, to kick ass -- it was all of those things every single day. Misty Knight is so iconic and so important to so many people; you don't realize until you join the project. Then people are like, "Oh, my God, you're Misty Knight!" It makes you even more excited. To be the first person to say these words, to give her a voice, it's like stepping into your own ocean, and it's yours." 

While it's definitely set in the same world as the previous two Netflix programs (Rosario Dawson is also set to reprise her role of Claire Temple in the show), Luke Cage will have a very distinct feel that's reflected in part by its setting of Harlem, as opposed to Hell's Kitchen where Jessica Jones and Daredevil were set. Missick was also able to give a very detailed description of the overall feel of the show, along with how Harlem plays a major role in shaping the characters. "The colors, the feel, the sounds -- everything about this show is its own thing. Harlem is a character in this show. All the other shows took place in Hell's Kitchen; this is the first one that's taking place in Harlem, and you definitely feel that. You feel that in the music, in the conversation, in the characters, everything. It's its own thing. "Luke Cage" is something completely new." 

Coker, a hip-hop journalist and TV veteran, also discussed the connection he sees between Luke Cage and classic albums like 'Midnight Marauders' by A Tribe Called Quest. There was a brief snippet of footage from the show at the end of Daredevil season 2, and with it came a musical excerpt from Nas' 'Made You Look'. Coker believes the musical selections on the show (particularly hip-hop) will set it apart from the pack. "For me, hip-hop has always been black superhero music. And now we have a black superhero that matches the music. When you think about Wu-Tang, when you think about A Tribe Called Quest records like 'Midnight Marauders,' it's deep in the culture, but at the same time, it's become the new rock and roll. Everybody accepts it, everybody understands it. That's really the vibe of the show -- on one hand, we're dealing with Harlem in ways that really haven't been dealt with. But at the same time, it's a superhero show. At the same time, you get to meet Luke Cage. You get to meet Misty Knight. You get to meet all these other characters. It's these comics come to life with a hip-hop vibe. It's incredibly fun."

Coker insists he is a massive comic book fan, and that long history made him feel honoured when he was chosen as showrunner. "I'm an every-Wednesday kind of guy. One of my favorite memories as a kid was when the original "Secret Wars" came out with the debut of the black costume for Spider-Man. I remember I couldn't wait to get home to read it, and I was like, 'Oh, my God, I've been waiting for this comic to come out. I hope, god forbid, nothing happens to me before I get home to read it.' When I say this is a fantasy come true for me -- it's such an amazing opportunity. Just as a geek, I love this world. To be able to write in a serious way inside of this is really cool, as well."

Coker also maintains that while Luke Cage may be a little lighter than the former two shows, it won't shy away from serious moments or its comic book roots. "For our show -- yes, we deal with serious themes. Imagine what somebody with bulletproof skin, how that could affect the neighborhood when it comes to crime. We deal, in a very realistic way, with how that influences the neighborhood (without revealing anything). It's grounded, but at the same time, the fantasy element of it also, I think, will attract people. We have something that's very dramatic, but at the same time, we don't run away from our comic book roots. We embrace them."

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