Iron Fist Season 3 Premiere Date & Story Details

The first season of Iron Fist was hardly a popular and critical success, but the second season is far stronger. What's more, it ends in such a way that it's evident Marvel believe a third season was a sure bet. But when can we expect it, and what will it be about?

Iron Fist season 1 was heavily criticized, by audiences and critics alike. In spite of its problems, though, the series proved to be a hit in terms of viewing figures, and as a result, it wasn't particularly surprising that Marvel chose to sign off on a second season. They invested a lot of energy into attempting to fix the show's problems, including hiring new showrunner Raven Metzner. Excitingly, they were confident enough in Metzner's success that they ended the series with a significant amount of setup, even including a "months later" scene to tease future developments for their characters.

The Marvel Netflix shows have been a tremendous success for both Marvel TV and the streaming service, and - given the dramatic improvement in quality and critical reception - there's no reason to assume that will change for Iron Fist season 2. Understandably, then, attention is shifting to the future of the Iron Fist franchise. What can we expect from season 3, and when will it happen?

This Page: What Will Iron Fist Season 3 Be About?
Page 2 of 2: When Will Iron Fist Season 3 Happen?

Iron Fist Season 2 Clearly Sets Up A Third Season

Iron Fist season 2 completely transformed the show's status quo. Colleen Wing is no longer a secondary character and love interest; she is the Immortal Iron Fist, the superhero who's battling to protect New York. Danny Rand, for his part, has launched a quest to Asia because he wants to uncover the secret history of the Iron Fist. It's clear setup for a third season unlike anything we've seen in Marvel Netflix to date; a season that focuses its attention upon two heroes, not just one, and that divides its time between New York City and Asia.

That new status quo is an exciting one, and it pretty much demands a third season to explore. But, as though to further whet viewers' appetites for the future of Iron Fist, the series also included a final sequence set "months later." This was essentially an extended advertisement for season 3, revealing what will happen to Colleen, and how Danny's quest will progress. It showed both characters now wielding the Iron Fist, each using it in fresh and creative ways unlike anything we've seen before in the Marvel Netflix shows. Colleen charged her blade with power, while Danny used twin pistols, controlling the flight of super-charged bullets.

Related: Iron Fist Season 2 Easter Eggs

Meanwhile, it's clear that season 3 will redefine the show's mythology. That's the whole reason Danny has gone on his quest in the first place, after all; and it seems his investigations have led him to the name "Orson Randall." In the comics, Orson Randall was Danny's predecessor as the Iron Fist, and his introduction led to Danny's discovering the existence of other "Lost Cities" and their champions, the so-called "Immortal Weapons." Season 2 added fresh elements to the legend of the Iron Fist, most notably Colleen's possible ancestor, Wu Ao-Shi - the Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay. The third season looks set to go a lot further.

Page 2 of 2: When Will Season 3 Happen?

Renewal Seems Inevitable - But When Will Iron Fist Season 3 Happen?

Marvel and Netflix are yet to officially announce Iron Fist season 3, but the closing scenes seem to make it inevitable. It's hard to say when renewal will be announced; Jessica Jones season 3 was confirmed a month after season 2's release, but sometimes the wait has been rather longer. Although a third season of Luke Cage seems a sure thing, for instance, it's yet to be confirmed by Marvel or Netflix. Even if an announcement is made, though, that doesn't necessarily indicate anything about how much of a priority it is for the partnership between Marvel and Netflix. Daredevil season 3 was confirmed at SDCC 2016, but didn't start production until November 2017, and due for release later this year.

Significantly, though, the partnership between Marvel and Netflix appears to be going well. Netflix originally signed off on five Marvel shows - Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders - but ordered a Punisher series after Jon Bernthal's tremendous portrayal in Daredevil season 2. What's more, they've confirmed that they're open to more Marvel spinoffs. Although they were initially wary of releasing more than two Marvel shows a year, last year saw three hit the popular streaming service. This year, they'll drop four. Production is clearly accelerating, and that means Iron Fist season 3 is likely to get underway sooner rather than later. Assuming a similar level of output in 2019, we already have Jessica Jones season 3 and The Punisher season 2 scheduled for next year, meaning there are currently two slots open. They could easily be third seasons of Luke Cage and Iron Fist, not necessarily in that order.

Will We See The Characters Before Then?

The first wave of Marvel Netflix shows tended to be fairly loosely connected, with Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple serving as the most notable bridge between them. The Defenders changed that, building strong relationships between the different characters, and since then there have been a lot of crossovers; Karen Page turned up in The Punisher, Foggy Nelson was important in Jessica Jones season 2, and Iron Fist himself had a cameo in Luke Cage season 2. That means it's entirely possible the stars of Iron Fist will make guest appearances in other shows.

Given the Marvel Netflix series tend to be set in and around New York, it seems safe to say that Danny's quest to Asia effectively writes him out of future cameos for the time being. But that's not the case for Colleen, New York's new Iron Fist, sworn to continue Danny's mission and defend her city. Iron Fist season 2 seemed to explicitly tease that she'll cameo in the next season of Luke Cage, with Misty suggesting that she'll call Colleen in to help her deal with Luke now that he's become Harlem's latest crime boss. In Misty's words, Colleen has "one of the few weapons that might make a dent in that man."

But that might not be all Marvel and Netflix have in the works for these characters. Given Netflix is still open to signing off on Marvel spinoff shows, it's quite possible we'll get a Daughters of the Dragon spinoff starring Simone Missick's Misty Knight and Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing. After all, the revelation that Colleen is descended from an Iron Fist effectively does make her a "daughter of the dragon."

We're entering an interesting time for Marvel's Netflix shows, one where comic book readers are no longer really able to predict what's going to happen next. The central plot of Jessica Jones season 2 was unlike anything we've seen in the comics, Luke Cage season 2 set up the star as a crime boss, and Iron Fist season 2 saw Danny pass on his power. There's literally no comic book precedent for any of these twists, meaning the future is currently very mysterious indeed. One thing does seem certain, though; Iron Fist season 2 sets up a third season, and given the dramatic improvement in quality, it will be exciting to see what happens next for Danny Rand and Colleen Wing.