Mike Colter discusses whether he would like to reprise his role as Luke Cage in the MCU following the return of Charlie Cox's Daredevil. Luke Cage was introduced as part of Netflix's line-up of Marvel series, debuting in Jessica Jones before starring in his own series and The Defenders team-up series. While there have been debates about the canonicity of these series Marvel gave fans hope about the beloved characters and actors potentially returning with Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock aka Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk and Vincent D'Onofrio's returning as Kingpin in Hawkeye. The actors will also return in the new Disney Plus series Daredevil: Born Again, which, depending on its success, could prompt Marvel to bring more of these fan favorites into the MCU.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant promoting his new movie, Plane, Mike Colter addressed the possibility of reprising Luke Cage in the MCU. Colter expresses his happiness for Cox, knowing how passionate he is about Daredevil, and his appreciation for the opportunity to play Luke Cage. He also admits there is potentially more story to tell for Luke Cage, but is unsure about whether he'd be involved in any further exploration of the character.
Mike Colter: I'm sure there's tons [more to do]. I mean, we didn't beat a dead horse there. We had more to do. But that's Marvel's character. I look at it as I had a good chance to play that role, and then it's their character. They can do whatever they want with it, and good luck. If they call me, we'll talk.
I'm happy for Charlie to go back and do Daredevil again because I know he really loves that
character. But I had a good run. I was really appreciative of the opportunity, but I'd like to focus and just try other things. I never looked back, but Luke Cage is a great opportunity.
Should Mike Colter Still Play Luke Cage?
Based on Colter's answer, there don't seem to be any current plans for the actor to reprise the bulletproof hero in the MCU. Colter seems to have moved past the role, but he does say, "If [Marvel Studios] call me, we'll talk." The Luke Cage season two finale saw the hero of Harlem decide to take on corruption and crime from the inside, taking over Harlem's Paradise. There was definitely more story to tell for Luke Cage, and exploring the consequences of taking over Harlem's Paradise and how he can continue his mission to protect Harlem are just scratching the surface.
If Daredevil: Born Again proves successful, it could lead to the return of other Marvel Netflix characters like Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones. With Cox crediting the "Save Daredevil" fan campaign for his return, it could mean that if fans express their desire to see the original actors reprise their roles, it could prompt Marvel to take a look. However, these characters would likely be a bit different from those originally introduced in the Netflix Marvel series. If Luke Cage were to be introduced into the MCU proper, he may not be the owner of Harlem's Paradise, instead leaning more heavily into the iconic Hero for Hire storyline.
There are many opportunities for The Defenders to return in upcoming MCU projects, both on the big screen and on Disney Plus. Colter, like Cox and D'Onofrio, would be a fantastic actor to bring back into the Marvel fold. His ability to embody the physicality of the role while balancing vulnerability, comedy, and charisma brought Cage to life on screen. He also demonstrated impressive chemistry with his co-stars in Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and The Defenders, capturing the unique tone of each series and their interactions. If Marvel decides to bring Luke Cage into the MCU, hopefully Colter will get the call.