As Marvel / Netflix get ready to launch Daredevil’s second season comes news of their Iron Fist. But should the casting really be considered that controversial?
Returning to New York City after being missing for years, Daniel Rand fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his incredible kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery Iron Fist…
While the sixth season of Game of Thrones hits the screen in late April, one of its stars, Finn Jones (who plays Ser Loras Tyrell) shall be donning a very different costume for his next gig. The announcement came this week that he will be playing Marvel superhero Danny Rand aka Iron Fist. The character will be joining fellow heroes Daredevil, Jessica Jones (currently filming its second run for a probable late summer release) and Luke Cage (due to debut in the next twelve months) with a solo series of his own, before they all eventually come together to form The Defenders, the superhero team based out of New York with a more street-level style than Avengers or the Fantastic Four.
British-born Finn’s other credits include The Sarah Jane Adventures, Hollyoaks, Doctors and The Bill. There’s no start date as yet for the Iron Fist series which will have Scott Buck as its showrunner and Executive Producer, run to thirteen episodes and serve as an origin series… based upon the character’s debut in New York City and where he is likely to meet up with Luke Cage (Mike Colter), a la his comics’ partner is Marvel‘s original Heroes for Hire printed title.
Iron Fist – who in the comics wears as costume of which Deadpool once commented was all “…green tights and yellow ballet slippers“, will likely be getting a more street realistic and relevant costume when the series goes into production. The fact is… we nearly got to see Iron Fist on screen before. Following the success of The Phantom Menace (which may have been critically mauled but did make some serious money), Darth Maul himself, British martial arts hero Ray Park, was supposed to play the character in a feature film. It was being scripted and was to have been directed by Crime Story and The Big Hit director Kirk Wong, with the Tattooed Dragon himself, Chan Wai-man playing a major role. However it never went forward.
Part of the problem with the character would appear to be the question of what direction to take with the character. Iron Fist is very much involved in the mystical elements of the Marvel Universe, and especially with Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage playing more to the grounded universe, it could take some work to suddenly bring in such a powerful character. Iron Fist, or Danny Rand, is far more than just an exceptional martial artist. He has also been trained with mystical masters, gaining the power of the titular Iron Fist. He is capable of channeling his body’s chi into his fist creating a superhuman strength… it’s a mystical form of martial arts magic that separates Iron Fist from other martial artists.
