With New York Comic-Con going on this weekend, some cool stuff was bound to hit the internet. One week after Luke Cage premiered on Netflix, Marvel revealed the teaser trailer for its next superhero series. Longtime Marvel fans will likely smile with Cage’s Marvel Comics partner, Iron Fist, being the next show up.
This is very much a teaser, with very little revealed about the series in a minute-and-a-half. But there was some imagery included that should get fans excited, notably the title character’s signature ability to channel his energy (his “chi”) into his hand, allowing him to punch with superhuman force. But it’s not an ability Daniel Rand (played by Finn Jones, Game of Thrones) can summon easily, and after he’s done so, he’s drained for quite a while.
OK, give that teaser a look:
Again, not a whole lot to go on. But the teaser does create the impression that Iron Fist will have a bigger scope than Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage have had to this point. Even if most of the story takes place in New York (maybe Hell’s Kitchen again), parts of the narrative will go to Asia, particularly the Himalayas where Rand is orphaned and raised, training in the martial arts and mysticism that give him his abilities.
If you recall season one of Daredevil, Madame Gao alludes to the mystical city of K’un L’un and the dragon symbol that Rand wears on his chest is seen on the packs of heroin she sells. She may have an even bigger role in the Iron Fist mythology, but that obviously is yet to be seen.
One thing the trailer didn’t reveal is whether or not Iron Fist will have a costume. The guess is that he’ll have some sort of outfit to symbolize his superheroic identity. (Even Luke Cage had that hoodie.) But the comic book version of his costume is, well, kind of silly, and the series may want to avoid that. The original version had a huge, disco-like collar with a low-cut neckline that revealed his dragon tattoo and traditional martial arts footwear.
Chances are, we don’t see that mask either. Subsequent attempts to modernize the costume and make it look more cool have been moderately successful. The green-and-yellow color scheme certainly doesn’t help. It might be fun if Iron Fist nods to the outfit like Luke Cage did with that character’s headband and yellow shirt, but it likely won’t go much further than that.
The teaser also mentions that Iron Fist is “The Final Defender,” a reference to the team-up series that will bring together all of the Marvel Netflix characters, The Defenders. (Sigourney Weaver will play the series’ villain, though her character was not announced at NY Comic-Con.)
No release date for that show has been announced, but with Marvel and Netflix releasing their shows in the spring and fall, the presumption is that The Defenders will debut next fall. (A third season of Daredevil and a new series featuring The Punisher is also on Marvel’s itinerary.)
Iron Fist will premiere on Netflix on March 17, 2017.