Luke Cage Star Mike Colter Says He'll Return to the MCU on 2 Conditions (Exclusive)

The Netflix Marvel era seemed dead and buried for years. Then Daredevil: Born Again brought Charlie Cox back, officially confirming those shows as MCU canon. Now the Defenders reunion continues building momentum, and one key actor wants in on the action.

Mike Colter revealed exactly what he wants from Luke Cage’s MCU return during Fan Expo Vancouver. The Direct interviewed him one-on-one following his panel, where he discussed ongoing Marvel conversations and his specific vision for Harlem’s hero.

Colter played Luke Cage across two Netflix seasons (2016-2018), Jessica Jones, and The Defenders. Since those shows ended, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones returned to the MCU through Daredevil: Born Again, leaving Luke Cage as the only major Defender without a confirmed comeback.

That may change soon. Colter confirmed active discussions with Marvel while outlining two major requirements for returning to the role.

The Direct asked Colter about his previous comments regarding Marvel talks. He confirmed those conversations remain ongoing, "It'd be a shame for me not to pop back up:"

"Look, I mean, here’s the thing: I have been talking to Marvel, and Jessica [Jones]’ back, and there’s a lot of story left to tell, and I just think that it’d be a shame for me not to pop back up."

This represents Colter’s most direct acknowledgment of active Marvel discussions. He previously told podcast On That Note in January 2026 that: "I’ve had conversations, and I’ll leave it at that." Now he explicitly confirms those talks continue.

Colter referenced Jessica Jones’ return as evidence that Marvel takes the Netflix era seriously. Ritter appears in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, premiering in March 2026. Her comeback alongside Cox shows Marvel’s commitment to these characters.

When asked directly if he felt unfinished business existed with Luke Cage, Colter confirmed, "absolutely:"

"Yeah, absolutely. When I first finished filming Luke Cage, I was sort of ready to do other things and so, as an actor, I’m just looking for something that’s different, and something interesting, and something that I can just sink my teeth into, that scares me a little bit, and something that comes out of left field a little bit."

Mike Colter Reveals Two Things He Needs For His MCU Return

The actor revealed the two major aspects of his character's story he wants explored upon his MCU return. The Direct asked Colter where he wants Luke Cage’s story to go if Marvel calls. He outlined his primary vision where Luke obtains "complete control of the [Harlem] neighborhood:"

"I definitely would want to see him find out what it’s like to have the power and complete control of the neighborhood and see if he can do the right thing and at the same time, keep his hands from getting dirty."

This would be an evolution from the Netflix series worth exploring in the MCU. Luke Cage Season 2 ended with Luke running Harlem’s Paradise nightclub, positioning himself as a community leader controlling crime in the city. However, the show’s cancellation prevented exploring that dynamic fully.

Colter elaborated on the moral complexity of having "to commit crimes to actually fight crimes" creates:

"Cause I think, a lot of times, you need to commit crimes to actually fight crime and it’s hard to say, because most of the times, you go, if you do things the right way, you wouldn’t have to break the law. But unfortunately, you have to fight at the same level as other people are fighting, so it’s really to hard to be able to stop something if you’re not willing to go to those levels."

This mirrors themes explored through Wilson Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again. Fisk runs New York as mayor while maintaining criminal operations. Colter wants Luke facing similar questions: Can you control a neighborhood without compromising your principles?

The concept offers fresh storytelling territory. Unlike Daredevil’s moral absolutism or Jessica Jones’ cynicism, Luke would navigate pragmatic leadership. He wants Harlem to be safe but recognizes that traditional heroism might not accomplish that goal.

Colter's wishes for his character don’t stop there. When asked if he would approach Luke Cage differently from the Netflix series. He acknowledged that there's been "some continuity issues throughout the seasons" and wished for something different from what he did in the Netflix era.

"Yeah, that’s a good question. Unfortunately, I don’t have control over the writers that they choose and I think all writers have a different agenda. There has been some continuity issues throughout the seasons and years from various shows and different writers."

Colter acknowledged the challenge of maintaining continuity across MCU projects. However, he expressed optimism about Marvel’s approach:

"So, where they’re going in the continuity, I can’t say, because even if you look at the Cinematic Universe, they seem to break all kinds of rules. Linear, time-wise, powers, abilities, different characters. So, we’ll see. I’m optimistic and hopeful they’ll pull some stuff out of the comic book as inspiration and give the fans something they can be excited about."

Colter touched on his broader acting philosophy and how much he gets excited taking on a character he doesn’t "know much about," and his hunger to try something different.

"I’m interested in different more than anything else. If I’m uncomfortable, if I don’t know much about the character of the world, that excites me. So after Luke Cage, I waited a bit... I think I’ve worked sort of fragmented. I don’t take the job that is offered sometimes provided me that sort of mirrors the job that I’ve had before, because that doesn’t feel right to me."

The actor emphasized that it's fine if he's "unemployed for a little longer," as long as does something different next:

"So at the risk of being somewhat unemployed for a little longer than I need to be, I just wait a little bit. Sometimes that works out and you’re working on something that’s different. My thing is, I don’t know what’s next, but I think it’s gonna be different. So, if someone throws me something I think that’s different, that’s what we do. So, that's what I've been doing."

This explains why Colter didn’t immediately push for Luke Cage’s return. He needed time away from the character to explore different roles. Now, after eight years and projects like Evil and Plane, returning to Luke feels "different" enough to interest him, especially if Marvel explores more interesting story arcs for the character.

Which MCU Project Could Mike Colter Return In?

There are countless MCU projects where Colter’s character could make a comeback. Luke Cage fits like a glove across Defenders projects. When asked whether his conversations with Marvel Studios involved returning in a third or future season of Daredevil: Born Again, a new Luke Cage series, or a potential Jessica Jones project, Colter stated that all three options are "on the table:"

"I think it’s all of the above. I think all of the above is on the table, because there’s so many places you can take Luke Cage’s story. Obviously, there’s Jessica Jones, where they left off, there’s where Luke Cage’s second season left off, there’s opportunities to come into Daredevil’s world, and there’s story for Iron Fist. There’s just so many places you can go."

This versatility makes Luke Cage valuable to Marvel’s street-level storytelling. He connects to multiple franchises. Jessica Jones, for instance, depicted their romance and breakup. Luke and Jessica share a daughter, Danielle, in the comics. With Ritter returning, reuniting them makes narrative sense.

Daredevil: Born Again is also perfect. Mayor Fisk’s war on vigilantes affects all New York heroes. Luke operating in Harlem while Fisk controls city hall creates natural conflict.

Luke Cage's continuation is also a fine place to return. Season 2 ended with Luke running Harlem’s Paradise, positioned between legitimate business and the criminal underworld. This setup offers immediate storytelling potential without extensive setup.