When Netflix started wielding the axe and culling their Marvel shows, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that Iron Fist was first on the chopping block, with Danny Rand’s solo series far and away the weakest of the bunch. However, it did come as a shock to many when Luke Cage was axed the following week, especially as both seasons had been warmly received by critics and the second run of episodes ended on a cliffhanger that promised an interesting new direction for Mike Colter’s title hero.
At the time, we were unaware that Marvel Studios were in the process of gathering up as many of their properties as humanly possible under one roof, so each Netflix cancellation brought a mixture of incredulity and outrage from fans and subscribers. Building on his warmly received supporting role in Jessica Jones, Colter took center stage and made Luke into a soulful, vulnerable and relatable figure, albeit one who possessed no shortage of charisma and was capable of breaking someone in half if they looked at him the wrong way.
The two-year hold on Luke Cage expired in October, and while Daredevil and the Punisher have been constantly linked with being rebooted and absorbed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Harlem’s guardian angel has largely been left out of the conversation, although there have been rumors that the role will be recast whenever he does return.
The studio has still yet to confirm that, but in a recent interview, Colter admitted that he hasn’t spoken to anyone from Marvel regarding Luke Cage. However, he’s isn’t ruling out the idea of a return.
“I got to say, I rarely think about it in the sense of what could be or will be, I know fans are eager to see something with the character. I know I established him and it was an honor to do that, but I don’t know what the future holds. If something happens, I’d love to have a conversation with them, but for now I’m not holding my breath, I’m happy either way, it was a good run.”
The actor is currently earning strong notices for his work on CBS supernatural drama Evil, so whether he ever ends up having that conversation with Marvel or not, he appears to have made peace with not being Luke Cage anymore.
