Things are beginning to fall into place for Marvel’s live-action adaptation of Luke Cage, and barely a week after recruiting Alfre Woodard for the series, Heroic Hollywood has caught wind of the official synopsis.
Arriving on the eve of production starting in New York City next month, the information points to a major new villain for Mike Colter’s titular hero to tussle with, and that it is Willis “Diamongback Stryker,” who will allegedly have a much bigger role than first anticipated. There will also be a new love interest for Cage, and that is Reya Connors, who drives the two former childhood friends apart.
If Heroic Hollywood is to be believed, it is Diamondback who will be positioned as the chief antagonist across the 13-episode series. That said, considering that Woodard is set to play the powerful politician Minetta, it could be the latter character who has a greater impact on Luke Cage’s life, paving the way for Colter’s lead to become the hero for hire that we know and love.
Without further ado, here’s the yet-to-be-confirmed synopsis:
“Luke Cage is a former gang member who is framed for a crime. In prison, he volunteers for a medical experiment that goes awry, giving him super strength and bulletproof skin. Using his newfound powers, Cage escapes and becomes a hero for hire. His archenemy is Willy Stryker, a former childhood friend from Harlem. The two committed petty crimes together, and both fell for the same woman, Reva Connors, which led to their eventual falling out. It was Stryker who framed Cage for a drug deal that sent him to prison.”
Acting as showrunner for the third member of Marvel’s small-screen Defenders super team, Cheo Hodari Coker also penned the first two episodes in the Luke Cage series. It’s understood the company will get the cameras rolling on its latest Netflix show next month in New York City ahead of a planned premiere on the streaming service in 2016.
