On Monday, Marvel released a brief video that confirmedDaredevil’sDeborah Ann WollandLuke Cage’sSimone Missickwill return to playKaren Pageand Misty Knight, respectively, onThe Defenders. That was just the first in a wave of announcements, with a new video debuting yesterday that revealedJessica Jones’Carrie-Anne Moss(Hogarth) andEka Darville(Malcolm) will be back forThe Defenders, along withDaredevil’sElden Henson(Foggy). Today we have yet another video that confirmsRosario Dawson’s Claire Temple,Rachael Taylor’s Trish Walker andScott Glenn’s Stick will also be back.
TheseTwittervideos don’t include any footage, but each video has ended with the phrase “Those who surround us, define us.” It seems that Marvel is rolling out its supporting cast, following theNew York Comic Conpanel last month that introducedSigourney Weaveras the primary villain, although her character still hasn’t been identified. That panel also marked the first time thatThe Defendersthemselves,Charlie Cox(Daredevil),Krysten Ritter(Jessica Jones),Mike Colter(Iron Fist) andFinn Jones(Iron Fist) united for the first time.
Rosario Dawson’s inclusion inThe Defenderscertainly isn’t surprising, considering her character Claire Temple, a.k.a. Night Nurse, has been featured in all four Marvel Netflix shows thus far. Given Trish Walker and Stick’s close associations toJessica JonesandDaredevil, their return also doesn’t come as a huge shock. Production is expected to begin by the end of this year, with the show expected to air at some point in late 2017.
Marvel and Netflixhaven’t confirmed a premiere date for The Defenders yet, but this series has been confirmed to come before new seasons ofDaredevilandJessica Jones. After The Defenders debuts at some point next year, fans will be treated toDaredevilSeason 3,Jessica JonesSeason 2 andThe Punisherspin-off, which is currently in production. It hasn’t been confirmed ifThe Punisherwill be seen in The Defenders or not, but it’s worth noting that recent set photos showed Karen Page having a conversation withJon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, so it’s possible he could come aboard the series.
Earlier this year, it was announced thatDouglas PetrieandMarco Ramirez, who previously served asDaredevil showrunners, have come aboard to serve asThe Defendersshowrunners. They will also serve as executive producers withDrew GoddardandJeph Loeb. The series is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix. Take a look at the new casting announcement videos forThe Defenders.
