Across four Netflix series, fans were introduced to Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist with the promise they would all team up in The Defenders. Unfortunately, the final stages of that plan proved to be disappointing for many as both Iron Fist and the Avengers-esque crossover event were met with poor reception from fans and critics alike.
Charlie Cox's Daredevil, Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, Mike Colter's Luke Cage, and Jon Bernthal's Punisher were all met with open arms and excellent reactions, but that wasn't the case for Finn Jones' Iron Fist. Not only did most consider the series' story and action to be poor, but it was generally agreed that the Game of Thrones star wasn't a good fit for the defender of K'un-Lun.
As Netflix characters like Cox's Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk begin to be reintroduced to the MCU, fans of The Defenders Saga are eager to find out who will be next. Now, a rumor has suggested a Marvel Studios contract isn't on the cards for one Marvel Netflix actor.
Iron Fist Actor Rumored for Disappointing MCU Future
The DisInsider's Derek Cornell recently took to Twitter to report Finn Jones will not be returning as Iron Fist in the MCU under Marvel Studios.
"I’m hearing they’re not bringing Finn Jones back for Iron Fist"
In a subsequent reply, Cornell stressed plans can always change, so Jones' MCU fate isn't sealed.
The Game of Thrones actor previously starred as Danny Rand in Iron Fist, The Defenders, and Luke Cage on Netflix before the series made the jump to Disney+.
The insider also shut down claims from @marvel_updat3s that Iron Fist will appear in the upcoming sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Does Iron Fist Have an MCU Future?
Charlie Cox recently reprised his Netflix role as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and he will reportedly be back on Disney+ again in She-Hulk, Echo, and Daredevil. Popular insider MyTimeToShineHello also claimed Jessica Jones will rejoin the MCU in Daredevil, but there's no word on whether Krysten Ritter will return in the role.
The Netflix portrayals of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and the Punisher all proved popular, indicating Marvel Studios may look to bring them all back in the coming years. Jones' Iron Fist, unfortunately, stood out as the black sheep of The Defenders Saga as both his portrayal and series failed to resonate with fans.
Kevin Feige has long demonstrated his willingness to introduce conflicts with canceled series. So, Danny Rand could be recast down the line, or perhaps another character may take up the mantle for the inevitable return of the defender of K'un-Lun.
Marvel Comics just months ago introduced Lin Lie, the former Sword Master, as the latest incarnation of Iron Fist. Perhaps the changes on the page signify Marvel Studios' big-screen plans to utilize an alternate incarnation of Iron Fist to work around the difficulties in using Jones' Rand.
Both Shang-Chi and Iron Fist interestingly have their origins in Chinese martial arts, making a crossover between the two heroes a no-brainer. Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi sequel is no doubt in the early stages of development, but it's easy to see how Simu Liu's Ten Rings wielder could team up with The Living Weapon.
After all, Iron Fist has long proven to be a popular and important character in the comics, so, Kevin Feige would be foolish to keep him out of the MCU. Perhaps Disney first wants audiences to forget the disastrous Iron Fist adaptation - Disney+ even released a trailer for The Defenders Saga with Jones' hero completely absent.
Season 2 saw Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing become Iron Fist herself, opening the doors to moving forward with two Iron Fists as a superhero power couple. Now, Henwick's Wing is looked back on as among the few standouts of the unpopular series, and many are eager to see her return in the future, possibly even as the MCU's main Iron Fist.
Both seasons of Iron Fist are streaming now, exclusively on Disney+.
