Showrunner Cheo Coker Says It Was LUKE CAGE That Delayed Marvel's IRON FIST

When Marvel originally announced their lineup of Netflix-exclusive shows, fans were amazed to hear that we'd be getting small screen adaptations of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. While news and production dates for the first three shows were revealed rather quickly, Iron Fist was kept in the dark, leaving many to wonder if the show was still going to be produced. Fortunately, it was later confirmed that the show was still happening, and that Finn Jones would star as the titular hero in 2017. As it turns out, this wasn't always supposed to be the case.

According to Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Coker, Iron Fist was originally supposed to debut before Luke Cage, but the positive reception to the character in Jessica Jones prompted Marvel to rethink their strategy. “Marvel went from, ‘We’re gonna take our time’ to ‘Let’s flip it and do Luke Cage first,’” Coker said in an interview with Complex. “‘We’ve got this great concept and this guy is leaping off the screen, let’s follow the momentum.’”

On a surface level, this may have been the right call, seeing as the idea of a man using martial arts to protect his city is very similar to Daredevil, however different the characters may be. As it turns out, Luke Cage actor Mike Colter was a little more than surprised about the change. “I called Mike and he’s freaking out: ‘We’re having a baby, my wife’s going to leave me!’ I had to calm him down,” Coker laughed.

Would you have preferred to see Iron Fist debut before Luke Cage, or are you happy with how things worked out? Sound off below!

 

After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city – forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.