Daredevil: Born Again Update Surely Makes 1 Defender's Return Inevitable

One filming location for Daredevil: Born Again has sparked speculation that yet another character from Netflix's Defenders Saga will be returning to the MCU. Since the cancelation of Marvel Television's Netflix series', there's been excitement and anticipation about which characters from the street-level shows would make their way into the MCU proper. Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio were confirmed to be reprising their Netflix roles in Daredevil: Born Again, following cameo appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Hawkeye, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and the upcoming Echo series, and they are now joined by Jon Bernthal, who will return as Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher.

Daredevil: Born Again started filming in New York City on March 6, 2023, under the working title Out the Kitchen, and is expected to continue until November to account for the massive 18-episode count. While Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll will be absent from Born Again, and other characters, including Daredevil's Vanessa Fisk, will be recast, many are wondering whether any of Netflix's Defenders will appear in the upcoming series. While Krysten Ritter has been rumored to be reprising her role of Jessica Jones, Daredevil: Born Again's new filming location has caused speculation that another hero could also be making an appearance in the series.

Luke Cage Is Harlem’s Resident Superhero

luke cage getting punched in netflix show

Filming for Daredevil: Born Again moved to Harlem on March 13 and 14 (via thecuriousuptowner on Twitter), which has led many to believe that Harlem's resident superhero would be joining the series. Mike Colter debuted as Luke Cage in Jessica Jones season 1 ahead of his solo series, Luke Cage. Cage was revealed to have been subjected to experiments while incarcerated at Seagate Prison for a crime he didn't commit, which left him enhanced with superhuman strength and seemingly unbreakable skin. After an encounter with Jessica Jones and Kilgrave, Cage returned home with the goal of protecting Harlem from its looming crime bosses, including Cottonmouth and Mariah Dillard.

Luke Cage quickly became one of the most popular characters in Netflix's roster of Marvel superheroes, which saw him receive mentions in Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Cloak & Dagger while appearing alongside the other heroes in The Defenders. Even so, Luke Cage season 2 ended with Cage inheriting the club Harlem's Paradise and becoming a crime boss in his own right, proposing that he could protect Harlem from crime by controlling it. Harlem being used as a filming location for Daredevil: Born Again could suggest that Cage will have a part to play in the upcoming MCU series, especially since Luke Cage season 3 never materialized.

What Role Could Luke Cage Have In Daredevil: Born Again?

jessica jones danny rand matt murdock and luke cage in the defenders

It's possible that Harlem is only being used as a stand-in for Hell's Kitchen, which is the area of New York from which Daredevil operates, but the prospect of seeing Luke Cage make his debut in the MCU proper has raised excitement for Born Again. It's not clear what role Cage would have in the series, but Born Again could see the Defenders come together once again to finally put to rest the discussion over whether the Netflix series are canon to the MCU. Daredevil: Born Again is rumored to feature many cameos from past MCU characters; it would be fantastic if one of those is Luke Cage himself.

More: How Powerful Luke Cage Is Compared To Captain America & Hulk