Mike Colter Teases Luke Cage's Future After Daredevil Return

Mike Colter discusses his long-awaited return as Luke Cage in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, reuniting with the Defenders, and the possibility of more appearances beyond the upcoming season.

Mike Colter is finally getting ready to reprise his role as Luke Cage in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, adding another recognizable face from the Netflix Marvel universe to the growing MCU. The actor recently opened up about his return, explaining how the opportunity came together and what it was like to reconnect with old co-stars after years apart.

Colter isn't the only Defenders-era actor slated to return, as Finn Jones is also apparently returning as Danny Rand, also known as Iron Fist. Charlie Cox's Daredevil is also slated to show up in the following season, along with Jessica Jones. As for other familiar faces making cameos, there have been other rumors, but those reports have not yet been formally confirmed.

Colter recently spoke with Collider about his early thoughts on returning to the character.

“It wasn’t something that was top of mind, to take up the role of Luke Cage again,” the actor said. But things started to shift when Marvel began weaving parts of its previous TV universe into the current MCU narrative. Colter said he was astonished that Marvel reached out about coming back, especially because the talk included changing the course of his character.

It was an even better chance to get excited about when he learned the studio was talking to the other actors from the original Defenders lineup as well. “Everyone was talking about coming back, and there was an excited feeling about the possibility of working together again,” he said. For Colter, the experience was especially meaningful because it brought together performers who had spent years building connections through their individual Marvel productions.

Colter said the reunion with his old co-stars was like musical acts who break up for five, ten, fifteen or even twenty years and then perform together again. So even if a lot of time has passed, those old connections and ties might make it feel like no one left. Of course, he said, everyone is older today, but the love and connection between the actors is still there.

That was how he characterized the vibe on the set of Daredevil: Born Again, where he was once again working with familiar individuals from the Defenders universe. 

The actor also said the new season will explore what Luke Cage has been up to since audiences last saw him. But instead of just resurrecting the character with no explanation, the series will supposedly give us more context to his life, where he’s been, and what he’s been up to in the years since he last appeared. Colter also said the series will examine how Luke’s relationships with the other characters have developed over the years.

With all that has happened since the original Netflix Marvel episodes ended, there is plenty of room to examine how those ties have changed. More intriguingly, the actor teased that his comeback may not be the end of the road for Luke Cage. He didn’t say anything about particular plans, but his statements left the door open for other appearances or projects including the character, and possibly the entire Defenders group.

Marvel is reportedly working on a new Defenders project, and there have also been murmurs of a Heroes for Hire series or special involving Luke Cage and Iron Fist. No formal announcement has been made, but Colter's words have obviously led to more conjecture.