The exact arrival date of the Defenders has been narrowed, and fans may not have to wait as long as expected. The quadrant of heroes was introduced in individual Netflix shows before Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist united in the miniseries The Defenders in 2017. After the Netflix shows were canceled, it seemed like the end for the Marvel superhero team, until Marvel Studios' Daredevil: Born Again began bringing the characters back to life.
Marvel Studios began by bringing back Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk, before reviving his solo show in Daredevil: Born Again. This also opened the door for Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) to return in Season 2, although she appeared quite late in the season, with audiences waiting until Episode 6 for her arrival. That won't be the case when Marvel reunites the whole Defenders team in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3.
In April, set photos from Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 in New York showed Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter (Luke Cage), and Finn Jones (Iron Fist) together, confirming the Defenders' reunion.
Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane then narrowed the team's arrival, telling Entertainment Weekly back in May that, at that time, they were "shooting block 2" and "wrapping up Episode 4 right now."
"I'm writing the finale right now. We wrap in early July at this point. So we're right about the halfway mark. All the scripts except the last one are written. We're shooting episode block 2, so we're just wrapping up episode 4 right now. We're heading into block 5 and 6, and then June-July will be the end."
The interview was released a few weeks after the set photos were taken, and Scardapane responded to the images, saying, "I don't really know what to say other than, yeah, that happened."
This seems to confirm that fans won't have to wait until the end of the season to see the Defenders on-screen together, as they did for Jessica Jones in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. Instead, the group will be assembled within the first few episodes of Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, and definitely by Episode 4.
This makes sense given that Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 ended with Matt Murdock being thrown in prison after revealing his secret identity to the world. The situation is clearly dire enough to force the Defenders together again, with Jessica, Luke, and Danny Rand seen reunited on set, likely to figure out how to release their comrade from prison. It may take longer for the core four to be reunited, given Matt's circumstances, but three of them will definitely be back working together sooner rather than later.
In the months since this commentary, Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 has continued to film exteriors in New York, and even more set photos of the Defenders have been revealed.
Daredevil will clearly make his escape from prison at some point in the season, as Charlie Cox was spotted in a brand new Daredevil suit featuring a striking black and red blended design.
Further set photos showed Luke Cage and Iron Fist together in a park, watching over Cage and Jones' daughter, Danielle. In the comics, Rand is the godfather to Danielle, cementing the Defenders' familial bond even after they had disbanded.
Wilson Bethel's Bullseye has been a regular presence in Daredevil: Born Again since the show brought him back over from Daredevil, and he will continue to have a large part in Season 3, with the actor spotted in a new, upgraded costume in set photos.
While Matt is in jail, the trio will seemingly team up with Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page, as Ritter, Colter, Jones, and Woll were seen in costume taking pictures with fans outside the set. Karen Page had a regular role in The Defenders miniseries, so it makes sense that she'd call on her allies to help Daredevil out in the new season.
The Defenders aren't the only ones assembling in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, as further set photos confirmed the long-rumored return of Elodie Yung as Elektra. Elektra's fate was left unknown after a building collapsed onto her and Matt in The Defenders series finale, but seeing as Matt survived, it makes sense that Yung's character did too, and now she has a role to play in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3.
Daredevil: Born Again is one of Marvel Studios' annual releases, meaning fans can expect to see Season 3 of the show in 2027. Along with the Defenders stars, Daredevil: Born Again features Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn, and Matthew Lillard as Mr. Charles.
Netflix’s Defenders Universe Will Well and Truly Be Back in 2027
After a series of steady cancellations, it was thought that Netflix's Marvel era was over, but in 2027, ten years after the Defenders first united on screen, they will be reassembled in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3.
The Disney+ MCU series has become the gateway for all of the Marvel Netflix characters to return. While Marvel Studios' strategy hasn't been as ambitious as to commission individual shows for each of the Defenders heroes, the universe is getting a second chance through Daredevil: Born Again, which is steadily capitalizing on all of the popular aspects and characters that were once featured in the Netflix Defenders universe.
That said, Marvel has still shown a willingness to branch out with its TV universe, having given Jon Bernthal's Punisher his own solo project, The Punisher: One Last Kill, following his return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. Bernthal has also been called up to the big-screen Marvel universe and will star next in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Going forward, the same could happen to any of the Defenders universe characters following their reintroduction in Daredevil: Born Again, with a whole universe of new crossovers and collaborations now possible thanks to Marvel Studios regaining the rights to these characters and choosing to maintain them.
