Marvel’s new Luke Cage series arrives on Netflix
In the Fall of 2013, Marvel and Netflix announced a partnership that promised four live action television shows that would revolutionize the modern streaming service. This partnership would take four individual heroes: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Ironfist and assemble it’s own mini Avengers. These four heroes would spread its programming across a few years of Netflix streaming which could then possibly collaborate with the Marvel Cinematic Universe once the streaming contract is over if not extended.
Photo courtesy of Marvel Entertainment
Super villain · Luke Cage’s newest show is part of the 2003 collaboration between Marvel and Netflix. It features characters such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones and other Avengers characters.
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Traditionally, corporations such as DC Comics and Marvel Studios would have their shows aired on live television networks such as Arrow on CW (DC) and Agents of Shield (ABC). Marvel’s deal made way for other companies to follow and put their trusts in streaming networks like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon.
Marvel started their streaming deal with the highly requested Daredevil which went on to have rave reviews and resulted in a second season which aired in Mar. 2016, along with a third season in the works. Shortly following the early Marvel/Netflix partnership hype, Jessica Jones one of the four Marvel Defenders made its appearance in the Marvel television universe. In the 13 episode season, Jessica Jones featured Luke Cage as more than an acquittance. Luke Cage is introduced in Jessica Jones as a quiet yet bold character. One worry to this early introduction however, is if Luke Cage will be able to stand alone as his own protagonist or live in the shadows of Jessica Jones and other Marvel Defenders.
Traditionally, corporations such as DC Comics and Marvel Studios would have their shows aired on live television networks such as Arrow on CW and Agents of Shield on ABC. Marvel’s deal made way for other companies to follow and put their trusts in streaming networks like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon.
Marvel started their streaming deal with the highly requested Daredevil which went on to have rave reviews and resulted in a second season which aired in March, along with a third season in the works. Shortly following the early Marvel/Netflix partnership hype, Jessica Jones one of the four Marvel Defenders made its appearance in the Marvel television universe.
In the 13-episode season, Jessica Jones featured Luke Cage as a quiet-yet-bold character. One worry to this early introduction, however, is if Luke Cage will be able to stand alone as his own protagonist or live in the shadows of Jessica Jones and other Marvel Defenders.
Luke Cage takes place in Hell’s Kitchen — where all of the Defenders do their crime fighting — focusing in the area of Harlem. The series’ plot will be independent from those in the Jessica Jones series. There may be a few references made to Daredevil and Jessica Jones, but it is still a standalone with its own villains, romances and action.
Luke Cage will also follow the roots of its rich comic book history starting from the 1970s. A character whose roots come from the blaxploitation genre, Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, is a Harlem barbershop sweeper by day and a vigilante for the streets of Harlem by night. He uses his unbreakable skin as his weapon against up-and-coming actor Mahershala Ali as the New York drug kingpin antagonist.
The show has been advertised as unapologetically black, with a predominately African American cast and a soundtrack that consists of East Coast African American rap. All 13 episodes are named after songs from the rap group gang starr — a hip hop duo — who are originally from Brooklyn, New York. Having the show set in the African American cultural capital, Luke Cage looks to use many of its cultural aspects through its Harlem setting and east coast rap soundtrack inspired by black culture.
“[They] wanted to make something great, not just for black people or minorities, just something great that just happens to be based on [their] culture,” said executive producer, Cheo Hodari Coker to Netflix Street Level Hero Music Behind The Scenes video.
The original creators of Luke Cage drew most of its inspiration from crime/drama classic television such as the critically acclaimed show, The Wire.This original series will hold one of the most diverse casts in the 2016 season as it tries to appease the high expectations that the previous Defenders set. YesI literallyIl be on its way to Netflix as it releases all 13 episodes on Sept. 30.