‘Luke Cage’ Star Mike Colter Talks Origins And The ‘Soul’ Of Marvel’s Next Netflix Series

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Luke Cage star Mike Colter opened about the character’s direction for his own series on Netflix and how it will differ from his debut in Jessica Jones. While it is easy to know what to expect from the series given Marvel’s first two experiences on the streaming platform, Colter attempts to talk the differences we’ll see based on his character alone.

For one thing, the setting will play a big part in shaping Luke Cage. Instead of following around in the same locales as Daredevil and Jessica Jones, Cage will be moving north to Harlem:

“Luke Cage” is going to have soul, it’s going to have intensity, it’s going to have dark parts to it. I think what’s going to make it unique is also the musicality of it. There’s going to be a musical taste that you found a little bit in “Jessica.” It defines itself through sound that you can feel when you’re watching the scenes, whether it’s something that’s actually a song that they’re playing or actually just the pulse of the music that they choose thematically. “Luke Cage” is going to define itself in that way, and it’s going to define itself in the locations that we’re doing. It’s no secret that you’re going to find Luke Cage uptown after the [“Jessica Jones”] series is over, so the things that happen to him and Jessica will affect him. And then when you find him months later in Harlem, you’ll see him in a different setting. That’s going to be a setting that’s surrounded with different characters and different light all unto itself.

And while we got our first look at Cage in Jessica Jones, Colter insists that Jones got the real spotlight up to this point. We can expect much more on just Cage in the new series, specifically touches on his origins and the classic comic influences that will manage to make their way onto the screen:

Anything that’s primarily “Luke Cage” we want to save for Luke Cage’s series. I’m not saying that you’re going to see the yellow shirt, but if you’re going to see it, it’ll be in Luke Cage’s series…

The writers have been very clever and very on point with the way they allowed this to be grounded in realism [while] paying homage to the comic book and what comic book fans know to be their world. We’re trying to bring it to the screen. I think we’re going to satisfy everyone. We’re not going to give them exactly what they want, but I think everyone will be ecstatic about what we’re willing to do for them. We know what side our bread is buttered on. To try and not give the fans what they want would be a mistake;, that being said, it’s going to be a unique way of delivering it. But they’re going to get what they want eventually.

Colter also notes that we can expect to see flashbacks on Cage, much like in Daredevil and Jessica Jones. That means we will get a taste of Cage’s prison life and how he gained those powers we glimpsed. We can also expect to see Luke Cage get around a bit, much as he did in Jessica Jones. Bumping those uglies and keeping that freewheeling style alive.

I’m just hoping we’ll get some form of Cage’s run in with Doctor Doom in the series. It’s my favorite moment and I’d love to see it adapted in some form — with a different villain, of course.

(Via The LA Times)

×