Less than a month away from the premiere of Jessica Jones, and hype continues to build for Netflix's second Marvel show. The official trailer showcased Krysten Ritter (Breaking Bad) as the titular Jones, a superhero who left the business after being abused by Kilgrave (David Tennant), a villain with mind-control powers. This show will introduce Mike Colter (The Good Wife) as Luke Cage, who is introduced as a bartender and love interest for Jones.
After establishing himself in Jessica Jones, Cage's role will expand into his own Marvel Netflix series next year, eventually leading up to a Defenders crossover miniseries. While there is a lot of ground to cover as Cage becomes a superhero in his own right, his role in Jessica Jones will start small, building the narrative while establishing its own tone.
Colter recently attended New York Comic Con and spoke to IGN about his role in Jessica Jones, and how this introduction would connect to his own show. Here's what he had to say about where Cage is when Jones begins.
"He is a guy with a lot of history, he's a fugitive on the run, no one really knows who he is or his true identity, so he's kind of staying to himself. So when you find him there he's just kind of like going about his everyday life, trying to just put the pieces back together. And the pieces we're talking are pieces you'll find out later why he is the way he is, and why he's on the run and why he's hiding all these things."
When asked about his relationship with Jones, Colter identified their differences as part of what draws the two together.
"Broken souls. The two of them are damaged inside, and who isn't? When you're looking for love, looking for someone to make you feel whole, I think the two of them have pieces that they're missing. And they are kind of opposites too, and I think opposites attract. I think visually they're opposite, I think the ways they behave are opposite - if you even look at the way their apartments are it's a different set up. So I think they are opposite but at the same time there is something they can't quite deny, and something innate inside them that draws them together."
Both Jessica Jones and Luke Cage will fit in the MCU that Daredevil established, while still having a distinct voice. Colter praised the theme music as really setting up the show, and elaborated on how Cage will differ.
"When you find Luke Cage he goes to Harlem, completely different backdrop, completely different culture, different musicality, different tone, even the lingo... everything starts to feel a little different because Luke is hanging out with a different group of people, so we have a different flavor for everybody I think."
Daredevil has been praised for its more mature tone exploring the seedy underbelly of Hell's Kitchen, and it's exciting to see these complementary shows integrating their own unique voices into this larger shared universe. We will have to wait to find out what drives Cage to take up the superhero mantle in Harlem, but the payoff looks to be well worth the wait.
Daredevil Season 1 is currently available on Netflix. Jessica Jones will be made available starting November 20th, 2015, followed by Luke Cage Season 1 and Daredevil Season 2 (a.k.a. Daredevil V Punisher) in 2016. Iron Fist and The Defenders will arrive sometime thereafter.
Source: IGN