Mike Colter, who played Luke Cage in Netflix's Marvel shows from 2015 to 2018, doesn't think he's likely to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he'd be open to returning to the role.In an interview with ComicBook.com, Colter shared that he doesn't think much about the possibility of returning to the character. "It's one of those things where it's in the rearview mirror at this point," he said. "If somehow I get a call, my dance card is kind of full." He clarified, however, that he enjoyed the role and would be up for returning if his schedule allowed for it. "But if I get a call, something happens, great. I had a good time," he said.
Colter added that he wouldn't mind if Marvel chose to recast Luke Cage in the MCU. "I'm happy, more than happy, to let someone else take on that mantle or that role," he said. "That character's living on for a long time. Fans are going to have that character in one way, shape, or form for the rest of their lives, and I'm happy to have been a part of that for those guys."
Marvel's Luke Cage Moves From Netflix to Disney+
Colter first portrayed Luke Cage in Netflix's Jessica Jones series before starring for two seasons in his own self-titled show, Marvel's Luke Cage, which ended in 2018. Colter reprised the role in Marvel's limited Netflix series, The Defenders, which saw him team up with Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones). Colter has previously addressed the possibility of reprising his role as Luke Cage once again, saying that "anything's possible."
While Luke Cage's MCU future remains uncertain, Daredevil has already joined the MCU, with Cox returning in a cameo role as Matt Murdock in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. Cox has since guest-starred in several episodes of Disney+'s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and is now set to star in a solo series with Daredevil: Born Again. The series, which will consist of 18 episodes, will premiere on Disney+ in 2024. As for Ritter's Jessica Jones, there have been rumors that the fellow Defender will make her own MCU debut in a future project, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Luke Cage were available to stream on Netflix before the show, and the rest of the Marvel Television shows, were moved to Disney+. Daredevil, the first of the Netflix Marvel shows, premiered on the streaming service in 2015 before it was followed by Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. In 2018, Iron Fist was the first of these shows to be canceled.
As with Daredevil, per the original deal between Marvel and Netflix, a two-year embargo then began on the characters appearing in any other projects, which expired in July 2020. Currently, Cox and fellow Daredevil star Vincent D'Onofrio (Wilson Fisk/Kingpin) are the only ones to have made the Netflix-to-MCU transition. D'Onofrio reprised his role as Kingpin in Disney+'s Hawkeye. He and Cox are also expected to appear in the upcoming Marvel/Disney+ series, Echo.
Both seasons of Luke Cage are available to stream on Disney+.
Source: ComicBook.com