A whole range of Marvel projects have been announcing further additions to their productions in the last week…
Marvel/Netflix‘s partnership continues to move forward with two new additions to the cast of the upcoming Iron Fist series. We already knew Finn Jones was essaying the lead role of Danny Rand, the orphan who returns to New York after years away and begins to protect the city with his kung-fu skills and the added power of an ancient firery power he can channel through his hands.
Game of Thrones actress Jessica Henwick will be playing the main female character in the series: Colleen Wing. Wing is another martial-arts-trained character, a private eye of mixed heritage who is an expert with a sword. In the comics she was trained from an early age with the skills of a samurai but a a restless and sometimes irreverent outlook on life. The character also has links to another Marvel character, Luke Cage, whose own series will debut later this year.
David Wenham (Lord of the Rings, the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) has been formally announced, with the actor playing the role of Harold Meachum, described as a ‘ruthless corporate lawyer’ and who was the business partner of Danny’s parents before their death. the latest addition to the cast of Netflix’s upcoming Marvel series Iron Fist.
It has also been confirmed that the Netflix series featuring all their stable of heroes to date – under the banner title of ‘The Defenders‘ will begin shooting later this year for a 2017 debut.
Creed and Selma actress Tessa Thompson will also be appearing in the Marvel Universe, though her role is still unclear. It is believed that her character could be the love-interest of the ‘God of Thunder’ in the next Thor film Ragnarok (taking its title from the Norse/Asgardian judgement day) with the film expected to start lensing in July. The film also stars Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jamie Alexander, Mark Ruffalo and original ‘Hulk’ Lou Ferrigno. Where this leaves the character of Jane Foster (so far played by Natalie Portman) is unclear, though it was known that Portman didn’t seem eager to continue the role. Ironically Thompson’s next project is with Portman (in Alex Garland’s Annihilation). Thompson is currently filming Westworld, the troubled mini-series which went back into production this month after a long hiatus.
Industry site Deadline also reports that Narcos star Boyd Holbrook will appear in the next Wolverine movie. There continue to be rumours that the adamantium-laced X-Man will make a cameo in the latest franchise entry Apocalypse, out next month – something he’s denied. However it does appear that the next solo-outing for Wolverine WILL be Jackman’s last. The report on Holbrook’s casting as the main villain for that outing points to him playing a ‘head of security’ for a ruthless global firm and who targets Logan/Wolverine as part of his plans. How this matches with consistent rumours that the film would feature a story similar to the Old Man Logan concept from Marvel (the comic series which saw an aged Wolverine in an apocalyptic future) is not clear. (*Update – we DO now know it DOES take place in the future, so………….)
The film, once again directed by James Mangold, is due for release next March.
