The first season was released in its entirety on Netflix on September 30, 2016, followed by the second on June 22, 2018. They were met with positive reviews, and received numerous accolades including aPrimetime Creative Arts Emmy Award. Following creative differences during the development of a third season, Netflix cancelledLuke Cage on October 19, 2018; all of the Marvel Netflix series were removed from Netflix on March 1, 2022, after Disney regained the license for them. They began streaming onDisney+ from March 16.
When a sabotaged experiment gives him super strength and unbreakable skin,Luke Cage becomes a fugitive attempting to rebuild his life inHarlem and must soon confront his past and fight a battle for the heart of his city.[1] After clearing his name, Cage becomes a hero and celebrity in Harlem, only to encounter a new threat that makes him confront the line between hero and villain.[2]
Mike Colter asLuke Cage: Former convict Carl Lucas was given superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, and now fights crime under the name Luke Cage.[3][4][5][6] Colter portrayed the character differently in the series than he had previously in thefirst season ofJessica Jones (2015), explaining, "You're not always the same person around everyone you know ... you might not necessarily behave the same way around your mom that you would with your wife or your boss".[7] The character uses his signature catch phrase "Sweet Christmas" from the comics in the series,[8] but sparingly, with the character often "opting instead for pensive silence"; composerAdrian Younge said, "He's a black superhero, but he's a different type of black alpha male. He's not bombastic. You rarely see a modern black male character who is soulful and intelligent."[9] Colter put on 30 pounds (14 kg) of muscle for the role.[10] David Austin and Clifton Cutrary portray a young and teenage Lucas, respectively.
Mahershala Ali asCornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes: The owner of theHarlem's Paradise nightclub and the cousin of Mariah Dillard who deals in illegal operations.[11][12][13] Ali described Stokes as "aGodfather-type villain",[14] while Head ofMarvel TelevisionJeph Loeb referred to him as "the other hero of the story", continuing the tradition of previousMarvel Netflix villainsWilson Fisk andKilgrave.[15] ShowrunnerCheo Hodari Coker, a former music journalist, said that the attitude of rapperBiggie Smalls particularly influenced his version of Cottonmouth.[15][16] Ali took the role knowing that Stokes would die early on in the series, saying the experience "was like shooting a film ... I found myself excited by a character's departure, because I felt like this was something I could give my all to for a period of time before saying 'peace' to him".[17] Elijah Boothe portrays a young Stokes.
Simone Missick asMercedes "Misty" Knight: A Harlem NYPD Detective with a strong sense of justice, who is determined to learn about Cage.[18][19] Missick said, "She's her own person. She's not the wife. She's not a girlfriend. She's not a sidepiece or a sidekick."[15] Missick described Misty Knight as "a person who has a very strong moral compass who is absolutely dedicated to protecting her community", adding her proudest moment in playing the character, was the fact that she "believes in the system, even though... [with] our current times, it's difficult to believe in the system."[20] In the series, Knight has what Missick called a "superpower" referred to as 'Misty Vision' that allows her to look at a crime scene and deduce what happened.[21]
Theo Rossi asHernan "Shades" Alvarez: A relentless, menacing, smooth and manipulative, street smart criminal working for Diamondback with ties to Cage's past.[19][22][23][24] Loeb called Shades "kind of theLittlefinger ofLuke Cage", "the ultimate opportunist".[15]
Erik LaRay Harvey asWillis Stryker / Diamondback: A powerful arms dealer who is Cage's half brother and the one who framed him for the crime that sent him to Seagate Prison.[25][26] Coker felt the backstory between Stryker and Cage got "twisted" because of howJessica Jones introduced Cage's wifeReva Connors, believing the series did not get Stryker's tone right until the eleventh episode.[27] Harvey talked about the character's illegitimacy, saying being "called a bastard his whole life... [is] what drives Willis ... He gets sent away because of his father's actions and then once he's in the jail system, he just gets tortured. After all that, his mind's been twisted and warped, and he's developed this sensitivity that's almost psychopathic." The character is always seen smiling when killing or defaming Cage's name, which is "just his way of dealing with his pain. He smiles through his pain."[26] Jared Kemp portrays a teenage Stryker.
Rosario Dawson asClaire Temple: A former nurse in Hell's Kitchen, whose friendship with Cage will affect both of their lives. Dawson reprises her role from the previous Marvel Netflix series.[19][23] "Because she plays a nurse that basically seems to be in the right place at the right time, and she's very good at helping out superheroes who are in need, and I think you will see some of that inLuke Cage," said Colter. "Ultimately I think she's going to be a very good companion for Luke. I think she's someone that Luke needs in his life at this time."[28]
Alfre Woodard asMariah Stokes-Dillard: A local councilwoman and Stokes' cousin looking to bring change to Harlem, whose life is "thrown into turmoil" by the actions of Cage and Stokes.[1][15] Though Dillard is not necessarily a criminal herself, she does feel a responsibility to her family, including Stokes.[22] Woodard, who lives in Harlem, was convinced to join the project after Coker proved his love of Harlem and its culture.[9] The series' version of the character is significantly different from the comics' Black Mariah, but Coker wanted to pay homage to her origins by using "Black Mariah" as a nickname. It is ultimately used by Stokes as a personal insult from their past growing up together, in retaliation to Dillard verbally attacking him.[29] Megan Miller portrays a young Dillard.
Mustafa Shakir asJohn McIver / Bushmaster: The leader of a Jamaican gang called the Stylers who uses folk magic to gain powers almost equal to Cage's and who obsessively pursues revenge against the Stokes family.[30]
The following actors are credited as starring in the single episodes in which they appear in season 2:
Jessica Henwick asColleen Wing: A martial arts expert andbushido master who helps Misty Knight. Henwick reprises her role from other Marvel Netflix series.[31]
Finn Jones asDanny Rand / Iron Fist: The martial artist with the ability to call upon the mystical power of the Iron Fist.[32] Colter explained that there had been interest from fans to see more of the previously established relationship between Cage andJessica Jones, but they "went out on a limb" and decided to give to the fans of the "Heroes for Hire" instead by having Cage and Rand team up. He added that Finn Jones, who also reprises his role from other Marvel Netflix series, brings "some fresh blood" inLuke Cage.[33]
Marvel began their search for a showrunner in 2014,[41] and in late March 2015, Netflix and Marvel announcedCheo Hodari Coker in that role and revealed the title of the series to beMarvel's Luke Cage.[42] Coker was inspired to become the series showrunner "when he realized the ramifications of a series about a black man with impenetrable skin and how that might empower him to take on both criminals and crooked authority figures";[41] he pitched the series to Netflix as an examination ofHarlem, "like whatThe Wire did forBaltimore."[9] Charles Murray, Alison Engel, Allie Goss, Kris Henigman, Cindy Holland,Alan Fine,Stan Lee,Joe Quesada,Dan Buckley, and Jim Chory also serve as executive producers.[43] The series was originally intended to be the fourth of the announced series from Netflix, debuting afterIron Fist, but it was fast-tracked to be the third series, after Cage was introduced inJessica Jones and became a breakout star, with Marvel wanting to "follow the momentum".[44] Coker had also created a draft that became thebible for the series that contributed to Marvel switching the series' order withIron Fist.[45] In December 2016, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.[46]
Charles Murray,Akela Cooper,Nathan Louis Jackson, Matt Owens, Aïda Mashaka Croal,Jason Horwitch, andChristian Taylor served as writers on the first season, with Matthew Lopes, Nicole Mirante-Matthews, and Ian Stokes joining for the second.[47] Coker noted that the majority of the series' writers were Black and "majority geek", one of the first such writing teams, which was "a rarity on television".[9][47] The writers also "[understood] the culture" and had a "lived experience" that gave the series "authenticity".[47]
After signing on to the series, Coker was able to read the first two scripts of bothDaredevil andJessica Jones, giving him an idea of the quality of writing for those series, and how important the development of their villains was.[35] ActorMike Colter described the series as having "soul" and "intensity", compared to the "dark action" ofDaredevil and the "noir feel" ofJessica Jones.[48] Coker described "a powerful fusion of dark drama, hip-hop, and classic superhero action" while being "The Wire of Marvel television, because we really deal with a lot of different issues."[49] Jason Tanz ofWired likened the series to neo-blaxploitation,[41] which Coker agreed with in that "blaxploitation is [just] black characters being able to assert themselves in a visual world", stating that he felt the series was more specifically a "hip-hopWestern", comparing its characters and setting toSergio Leone'sDollars Trilogy of films (with Cage theMan with No Name, for example).[35] Each episode title of the series is named after a song title from hip-hop duos: the first season's fromGang Starr,[34] and the second season's fromPete Rock & CL Smooth.[36]
When asked whether the series would feel as "adult" asJessica Jones, Colter replied, "if you thinkJessica is adult then we're still keeping up with that pace ... we'll continue along those lines of PG-16+".[50] On whetherLuke Cage would address current race issues, includingBlack Lives Matter, given the character's past (a wrongfully imprisoned black man), Colter said, "this is not necessarily the platform to hit it head on" but "the things that he's going through will ring true for a lot of people in law enforcement" and on the street.[48] Loeb said on the issue, "Luke Cage, when he came on the scene in the early 70s was for all intents and purposes the first black superhero. Given what's going on present day, it just resonates." Coker stated that Cage is "someone that the community can touch and go to", adding, "There's never been a time in history where having a bulletproof black man" has been so important.[51]Luke Cage was also the first MCU property to use the word "nigger" or "nigga", with Marvel having complete trust in Coker's use of it: the word is used casually in the series, though some characters, including Cage, prefer not to use it. Coker said the intent was never to use it "in a way where it's flippant. I used it from the standpoint of, if we were going to eavesdrop on a conversation with African American people, with nobody else around, when would this word be used and how would it get used." Coker also likened the use in the series to "the way music used to treat it," not having it be "every other word of every other chorus, because at that point, it just gets silly."[52]
Stephanie Maslansky, the costume designer forDaredevil andJessica Jones, serves as costume designer forLuke Cage as well. The series sees Cage have a wardrobe evolution from his initial look of T-shirts, jeans, leather jackets or an army jacket that was introduced inJessica Jones.[59] Maslansky took inspiration from the comics illustrations, as she did on the other Marvel Netflix series, but also looked to the "rich and colorful history" of Harlem, and Coker's own vision.[60] In looking to pay homage to Cage's original costume with his updated clothing for the series, Maslansky and Coker considered "the idea of him wearing a gold hoodie, a gold T-shirt, but those just seemed too on the nose, and just too bright for a guy who is trying to keep his identity quiet." Instead, Maslansky lined the insides of all of Cage's hoodies with yellow, so the color could frame the character's face in close ups.[61]
The series' title sequence, which uses yellow overtones, blends a silhouette of Luke Cage with images of Harlem.[62] Originally, the sequence was of Cage jogging that appeared in the sixth episode in the first season withLuke Cage in "a yellowAmerican International Pictures/'Tarantino' font".[63]
Filming for the series takes place in New York City,[64] significantly in Harlem, where the series is set. Coker described the neighborhood as "the only place in the city where you see those wide boulevards. We really wanted to capture the color, the rhythm of the streets".[65] For example, the production had the opportunity to film at a barbershop inGreenwich Village "that would've been a little easier for us to shoot in", but Coker said "the opportunity to film it in Harlem was irresistible. I didn't want us to talk about Harlem and then not film in Harlem."[62] Sound stage work also takes place in New York.[66]Manuel Billeter serves as director of photography for the series, after doing the same forJessica Jones.[67]
In April 2016, Coker revealed thatAdrian Younge andAli Shaheed Muhammad were composing the series' score,[49] describing it as "a confluence of multiple genres, a bit of ['90s] hip-hop, soul, psychedelic rock and classical",[70][49] with "a lot of different musical appearances".[49] Coker had contacted Younge and Muhammad separately, asking if they would like to work together on the series, not knowing that the pair were already working together on an album.[71] Younge and Muhammad took inspiration fromWu-Tang Clan,Ennio Morricone, and Muhammad's groupA Tribe Called Quest,[72] with Younge saying, "we wanted to make something great. Not just for black people or minorities, just something great that just happens to be based on our culture."[72] A soundtrack album for thefirst season was released on October 7, 2016, digitally and pressed on yellow vinyl byMondo.[73][74] A soundtrack for thesecond season was released on June 22, 2018, digitally.[75]
Luke Cage is the third of the ordered Netflix series afterDaredevil andJessica Jones and was followed byIron Fist, which lead to the miniseriesThe Defenders.[44][76][77] In November 2013,Disney CEOBob Iger stated that if the characters prove popular on Netflix, "It's quite possible that they could become feature films,"[78] which was echoed by Sarandos in July 2015.[79] In August 2014,Vincent D'Onofrio,Wilson Fisk inDaredevil, stated that after the "series stuff with Netflix", Marvel has "a bigger plan to branch out".[80] In March 2015, Loeb spoke on the ability for the series to crossover with theMCU films and theABC television series, saying, "It all exists in the same universe. As it is now, in the same way that our films started out as self-contained and then by the time we got toThe Avengers, it became more practical forCaptain America to do a little crossover intoThor 2 and forBruce Banner to appear at the end ofIron Man 3. We have to earn that. The audience needs to understand who all of these characters are and what the world is before you then start co-mingling in terms of where it's going."[81]
Disney Consumer Products created a small line of products to cater to a more adult audience, given the show's edgier tone. Paul Gitter, senior VP of Marvel Licensing for Disney Consumer Products explained that the focus would be more on teens and adults than very young people, with products at outlets likeHot Topic. Additionally, a Marvel Knights merchandise program was created to support the series, which creates new opportunities for individual product lines and collector focused products. Licensing partners wanted to pair up with Marvel, despite this not being a film project, given its previous successes.[82]
Luke Cage was released on thestreaming serviceNetflix, in all territories where it is available,[42] inUltra HD4K andHigh-dynamic-range video (HDR).[83] The first season was enhanced to be available in HDR after its initial release by post-production vendorDeluxe.[84] The episodes of each season were released simultaneously, as opposed to a serialized format, to encouragebinge-watching, a format which has been successful forother Netflix original series.[64][66] Despite being branded as a "Netflix Original",Luke Cage was licensed to Netflix from Disney.[85]
Luke Cage was removed from Netflix on March 1, 2022, along with the otherMarvel Netflix series, due to Netflix's license for the series ending and Disney regaining the rights.[86] Disney opted not to have Netflix pay a large licensing fee to retain the distribution rights for the series.[87] Coker hoped Disney did not "sit on [the series] for years to allow for an easier reboot, or re-air it with a different mix, or the N-Word muted".[63] The series will be made available onDisney+ on March 16 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, and in Disney+'s other markets by the end of 2022.[88][89] In the United States, revised parental controls were introduced to the service to allow the more mature content of the series to be added, similarly to the controls that already exist for other regions that have theStar content hub.[90] The series' tribute toReg E. Cathey in the second season was removed on Disney+.[91]
As Netflix does not reveal subscriber viewership numbers for any of their original series, Karim Zreik, senior vice president of original programming at Marvel Television, provided some viewership demographics forLuke Cage in August 2017, noting that the series has attracted "sort of a mix" of viewers between gender and age.[95] Also in the month, Netflix released viewing patterns for the Marvel Netflix series. The data, which came from Netflix's "1,300 'taste communities' around the world, where subscribers are grouped based on what they watch", showed that viewers would not watch the series in chronological order by release, rather starting withJessica Jones, thenDaredevil,Luke Cage and finallyIron Fist. Todd Yellin, Netflix's vice president of product innovation, noted that audiences watch the series "in order of how they're interested in them and how they learn about them." Netflix's data also showed that a viewer watchingLuke Cage would most often then move on toIron Fist, with Yellin figuring thatJessica Jones andLuke Cage would have paired up more, given that Cage was introduced onJessica Jones. The data also revealed that fans ofStranger Things and other series that explore "the dark side of society" such asBlack Mirror,The Walking Dead and the documentaryAmanda Knox led viewers to startingLuke Cage.[96] In October 2018, Crimson Hexagon, a consumer insights company, released data that examined the "social-media buzz" for the series to try to correlate it with potential viewership. The data showed that when the first season premiered in September 2016, the season had over 300,000 Twitter and Instagram posts regarding it, and when the second season was released in June 2018, the posts had declined dramatically to under 50,000.[97]
The review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 90% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10 based on 72 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "An immersive, socially conscious narrative and a confident, charismatic lead performance makeMarvel's Luke Cage a stellar sampling of the new Marvel/Netflix universe."[98]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 79 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[99]
The second season has an approval rating of 85% with an average rating of 7.2/10 based on 62 reviews. The website's critical consensus states, "In its second season, Marvel's Luke Cage delivers a satisfyingly complex narrative and a solid ensemble cast led by Alfre Woodard's standout performance as the archvillainess Black Mariah."[100] On Metacritic, it has a score of 64 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[101]
In September 2018, the writers room was put on hold so Netflix and Marvel could work out how to adjust the season from the expected 13 episodes to a shorter 10-episode run.[119] Six episodes had been written, with two additional having been outlined.[120] During the week of October 15, the written scripts of those 10 episodes were delivered to Netflix and Marvel, incorporating ideas that had been plotted out for six months and notes received from Netflix and Marvel executives. Some of the executives had issues with these scripts, despite them featuring many of the notes they asked to be included, and the creative differences devolved into "behind-the-scenes turmoil" by the end of the week. There were some demands that a new showrunner be found for the season. With Marvel and Netflix on opposite sides of this disagreement, and the series being costly for Netflix even though they did not own the property, "the only viable exit strategy" was cancellation. The series was officially canceled by Netflix on October 19, 2018.Deadline Hollywood noted that, unlike fellow seriesIron Fist which had been canceled a week earlier, Marvel had no plans to continue or revive the series on another platform such as Disney+,[119] especially since, per the original deal between Marvel and Netflix for the series, the characters could not appear in any non-Netflix series or films for at least two years following the cancellation ofLuke Cage.[121]Kevin A. Mayer, chairman ofWalt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International, said it was possible that Disney+ could revive the series but this had not been discussed.[122] In February 2019,Hulu's senior vice president of originals Craig Erwich said that streaming service was open to reviving the series, along with the other former Netflix series.[123]
In December 2020, Colter said there had not been any discussions withMarvel Studios regarding him reprising the role and added, "I know fans are eager to see something with the character. I know I established him and it was an honor to do that, but I don't know what the future holds... If something happens, I'd love to have a conversation with them, but for now I'm not holding my breath, I'm happy either way, it was a good run."[124] In February 2022, Coker said he hoped that Colter and Missick would be asked to reprise their roles if Marvel Studios chose to feature the characters again, and was open to creating commentary tracks or a retrospective podcast for the series.[63] Ahead ofCharlie Cox's appearance as Daredevil inEcho, which was released in January 2024, Marvel Studios' head of streamingBrad Winderbaum acknowledged that Marvel Studios had previously been "a little bit cagey" about what was part of theirSacred Timeline, noting how there had been the corporate divide between what Marvel Studios created and what Marvel Television created. He continued that as time had passed, Marvel Studios began to see "how well integrated the [Marvel Television] stories are" and he personally felt confident in sayingDaredevil specifically was part of the Sacred Timeline.[125] WithEcho's release, all of the Netflix series were retroactively added to theMCU Disney+ timeline, withLuke Cage placed alongside thePhase Two content of the MCU, afterAnt-Man (2015).[126][127] An update to the Disney+ timeline split out the series by season, withLuke Cage's second season placed betweenDoctor Strange (2016) andThor: Ragnarok (2017).[128]
^Each episode is named after aGang Starr song, chosen based on their titles only, so each episode's events does not necessarily reflect the respective song's lyrics.[34][35]
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