Netflix's Defenders characters could be ing the The Avengers, Marvel TV and Netflix ed forces to create multiple Marvel shows that would culminate with a crossover event, The Defenders. Shows for Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist entered development and were sold as taking place in the MCU. Now, these characters could be set to forces with the wider franchise.
The proper Defenders MCU crossover.
Several years have ed since any of the Defenders characters have been seen, but they might soon find a second life as part of official Marvel Studios productions. There are plenty of rumors about Kevin Feige figuring out a path for some, if not all, of cleaner for the MCU's canon. In any case, Marvel has a big slate of movies and TV shows that each of the Defenders characters could appear in, but which ones are the best fit for the individual characters?
Daredevil
The bulk of the speculation surrounding the Defenders characters returning to the MCU stems from reports that Charlie Cox is in maybe even Foggy Nelson and Karen Page - come into play. It might mean Cox's MCU return doesn't see him actually suit up as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, but that can happen later on.
Whether or not Daredevil is in Spider-Man: No Way Home, there are other opportunities for him to appear in Phase 4. The next best project that Daredevil could be involved in is She-Hulk to link with Daredevil's story if his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home is minimal.
Marvel Studios could also look to bring Daredevil back for the Hawkeye, and it has already been announced that a spinoff focusing on her character is in the works. Daredevil plays a huge role in Echo's story in the comics, as he is framed by Kingpin to be responsible for the death of Echo's father. This leads Echo to try and kill Daredevil out of revenge, only for him to reveal the truth about her father's death. Echo is a chance for the MCU to bring this story to life and give Daredevil a prominent role once again.
Jessica Jones
Krysten Ritter plays Jessica Jones in Jessica Jones and Luke Cage's baby.
Jessica Jones could even make a surprise appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home potentially. After some time as a private investigator, Jessica took a job with the Daily Bugle as a vigilante analyst. She worked under J. Jonah Jameson at this time and with Ben Urich to create The Pulse. It is possible that after Spider-Man: No Way Home reverses Jameson's public outing of Spider-Man's secret identity that Jones could become the latest member of the Daily Bugle team to try and make it friendly to superheroes.
Luke Cage
Speaking of Luke Cage, Mike Colter could return as Power Man at some point in Phase 4 after two seasons leading Luke Cage and guest appearances in Jessica Jones and Iron Fist. One place that Luke Cage can make his MCU return in during Phase 4 is The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This could be done if Captain America 4 continues to explore the idea of other super soldier programs. Luke Cage gets his powers in the comics from experiments based on the super-soldier creation process. The MCU can make this connection too. Luke Cage's return in Captain America 4 would also give Marvel Studios the chance to put one of its biggest Black superheroes in the first movie featuring Sam's Captain America. While Sam is a likely candidate to lead the MCU's next Avengers team, the return of Luke Cage in Captain America 4 can also set him on the path to lead the Avengers as he's done many times in the comics.
There's also the opportunity for the character to appear in She-Hulk. When Luke Cage isn't leading the Avengers in the comics, he is frequently in charge of Heroes for Hire. She-Hulk has been part of Heroes for Hire in the past, although her work for them was mostly legal and not fighting crime with her gamma strength. Still, Luke Cage and Heroes for Hire could make an appearance in She-Hulk to set up their MCU future. It could even give Marvel a chance to tease a romance between Luke and Jennifer, which was also short-lived in the comics.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist's MCU future is even more uncertain than the rest of the Defenders cast. While Cox's Daredevil, Ritter's Jessica Jones, and Colter's Luke Cage are well-liked, most viewers disliked Finn Jones' portrayal of Danny Rand. His efforts did improve as he got more time with the character, but Iron Fist still seems like the Shang-Chi 2 depending on its story. The martial arts and mystical franchise would be an excellent place to reboot The Living Weapon. Shang-Chi's depiction of Ta-Lo already mirrors K'un-Lun, so a visit to the magical city responsible for Iron Fist could be in store for the sequel.
The Punisher
Jon Bernthal's Punisher ed the Defenders universe in Daredevil season 2, and the response to the character resulted in a spinoff show that lasted two seasons. Moon Knight. The Disney+ series stars Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector, who becomes Moon Knight after gaining superpowers from the Egyptian moon god Khonshu - or at least that's what Marc thinks. Spector was a mercenary prior to his days as Moon Knight in the comics, so it is possible a similar origin in the MCU could be how Punisher appears. Frank could be an old friend of Marc's potentially or be tasked with hunting down the all-white costumed vigilante.
Where Other Defenders Characters Could Return
In addition to the main Defenders characters, the MCU would also be wise to utilize a few other major characters from the Netflix Marvel shows. Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin remains someone fans want to see more of, and there are rumors this could happen in Hawkeye. If that happens, Wilson Fisk could also come back for Echo and even battle Spider-Man one day potentially. Simone Missick's Misty Knight was also a highlight of the Netflix shows, and Marvel could bring Misty back in Captain America 4, which could bring her and Sam's romance to the big screen. It is also possible that Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing and Elodie Yung's Elektra return, whether either comes in Shang-Chi 2 or Elektra returns for Echo.
