Last Friday, photos from the set of Daredevil: Born Again began to circulate featuring Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, and Finn Jones as Danny Rand/Iron Fist. This means that we’re getting a reunion of all four of Netflix’s Defenders stars in Daredevil: Born Again’s third season. Since we know that Ritter is returning during this currently ongoing second season, her presence isn’t a big surprise. Even Colter’s return as Luke Cage, while not previously confirmed, has been something fans have been demanding. The biggest shock, no doubt, is Jones’ return, as Netflix’s Iron Fist series was widely panned.
Yet I’d argue that Jones’ return is entirely good news and a sign that Marvel Studios is willing to more fully embrace what was established with the various Marvel Netflix shows. This continues a trend that began when Marvel reworked Daredevil: Born Again deep into the production of season 1 in order to connect it to the previous Netflix seasons.
Sarah Shatz/Netflix
Originally, Daredevil: Born Again was going to be a very different series. While it was going to continue using Charlie Cox as Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin, it was more of a legal procedural than the original Netflix series, with few of the supporting characters returning and presumably little reference to the Netflix continuity. Then late in the production of season 1, the show was overhauled to include the characters and continuity of the Netflix show.
The change was a good one, as Daredevil: Born Again has managed to maintain the continuity and tone of the original Netflix series while also finding new things to do with the characters amid the Mayor Kingpin story. I highly doubt the original vision would have been as good.
Putting aside the fact that it would have been less of a superhero show and more of a legal procedural, I’d argue that it’s simply confusing to start over only halfway. While Marvel Studios most likely feared alienating viewers who hadn’t seen the Netflix seasons, to pick and choose what they’re keeping would have vexed loyal viewers, making them constantly guess what is and what isn’t canon.
Take Fox’s X-Men movies as an example. When they started over with the prequel X-Men: First Class and later did a continuity-disrupting time travel story in X-Men: Days of Future Past, fans spent the entire rest of the film series trying to figure out what did and didn’t take place in the convoluted canon of those films. While it can be complicated to keep track of continuity, if you’re starting over, you really have to start over with new actors and a new timeline.
Which is why Finn Jones’ return is cause for celebration — if only for coherent storytelling. Like everyone else, I found Iron Fist to be boring and badly written. I also wasn’t blown away by Finn Jones. While he seemed fine for the character of Danny Rand/Iron Fist, I thought the show was so bad it was pretty impossible to tell how good of a job he was doing.
But by bringing him back, they have a chance to redeem the character and Jones as well. Had they left him out, those who did enjoy the Netflix show — and even some who didn’t, but care about the overall continuity — would be wondering where the hell he is and when Marvel was going to explain it. Best for the studio to take in all the continuity of the Netflix shows and just emphasize and de-emphasize what they want to moving forward. Because you can’t take the baby that is Daredevil without at least some of the bathwater that is Iron Fist.
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