Outside of one minor thing, Mike Colter's return to the MCU as Luke Cage could not have gone better for him. Following a lengthy eight-year absence, Colter reappeared in the Marvel Universe as the unbreakable Defenders hero in the final episode of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 on Disney+. While he did not get much screentime, his future looks brighter than ever after this milestone.
Luke Cage star Mike Colter previously shared what he hoped would happen with his character if and when he returned to the MCU. In a one-on-one interview with The Direct at Fan Expo Vancouver 2026, Colter noted that he would want to see Luke Cage learn about having power and control of the neighborhood and see if he "can do the right thing" while keeping "his hands from getting dirty:"
"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 was the exact opposite of what happened for Luke, as he was revealed to have worked overseas for Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles as Born Again Season 2 unfolded. While his specific actions remain a mystery, the season ended with Wilson Bethel's Bullseye jetting off with Charles to take over the same role, "heading to do dirty work abroad." This at least suggests that Luke did in fact get his hands dirty working with Charles.
Before this, Colter spoke with ComicCon Canada at Ottawa Comiccon in 2025, noting that he would be "as happy as the fans" to come back into the MCU while standing next to Wilson Fisk/Kingpin star Vincent D'Onofrio. He also shared hope to see Luke finally get a scene with Fisk in the MCU. Praising D'Onofrio for his ability to disappear into the Kingpin role, Colter admitted that he is "probably going to be intimidated" if and when the two get a scene together:
"We haven't had a scene...The thing about it is- this is Vincent. But when Vincent comes on set, he's going to be the character, and then it's going to be weird, because it's not him anymore, he goes somewhere else, and then it's going to be scary. So I'm kind of interested in seeing him in character, being across from him, because he's going to be a different person," Colter theorized. "I'm probably going to be intimidated, just like everyone else. It's like, 'Oh, shit, I'm doing a scene with Vincent today."
Colter and D'Onofrio have never shared a scene together in the MCU as Luke Cage and Wilson Fisk, since Fisk had previously only shared screen time with Charlie Cox's Daredevil and Frank Castle's Punisher on Netflix. At the end of Born Again Season 2, D'Onofrio got his first chance to interact with Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones after leaving the courtroom where his trial was held. Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 is filming and is expected to debut on Disney+ in 2027.
Luke Cage's Return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 Explained
After Born Again Season 2 ended, Colter and Finn Jones were seen in set photos for Born Again Season 3, reprising their roles as Luke Cage and Finn Jones and reuniting with Charlie Cox's Daredevil and Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones. As of writing, it is still unclear how big Ritter, Colter, and Jones' roles will be across the season, but many hope to see the four share the screen for the first time since 2017's The Defenders on Netflix.
Specifically for Luke, he reunites with Jessica Jones and their daughter, Danielle, after doing shady work abroad for Mr. Charles for an undetermined amount of time. Set photos show him filming with Finn Jones as Danny Rand, which could set up a revival of the Heroes for Hire storyline that was first teased for their partnership in Luke Cage Season 2 on Netflix.
As for Kingpin, while Vincent D'Onofrio is confirmed to return in Season 3, Fisk will be in a much different place in the series. While he was forced into exile at the end of Season 2, he is expected to work his way back into the spotlight through the season, potentially getting back to a place as Matt Murdock's most terrifying adversary.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
