Cast and Showrunner Discuss 'Luke Cage' Season 2 & Tease a Potential 'Heroes for Hire' Series

Luke Cage is the next Marvel Netflix show to be released and expectations are high to see where the character is heading after surviving the crossover with the other New York City heroes. There is a lot of curiosity in what direction the second season will be heading, especially if they will work on the overall criticism that the back half of last season was not as well-liked as the first. Mike Colter and showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker gave us some insight into what we can expect from the second season and tease some potential plans for the future.

Naturally, one of the main questions surrounds where Luke Cage is at the beginning of the season. After surviving a shot from a Chitauri bullet, facing his past, taking down ninjas and much more, he seemed rather content after the events of The Defenders. However, we would not have a series if his life was as simple as that moving forward. Mike Colter gave some insight into the matter:

“Yeah, everything seems wonderful, he’s got a girlfriend, all thumbs up. What could go wrong, right? But Luke is his own worst enemy, and that’s something I enjoy playing about him, because he doesn’t necessarily understand the results of his actions. He’s fallible and he makes mistakes. He’s got an edge, he’s got a chip on his shoulder, he’s got to discover his own popularity and enjoy it a bit. He’s learning on the fly what it is to be someone everybody recognises, to be someone everyone in Harlem looks to for answers. It’s a lot of responsibility.”

Coker even teases that the finale will make us question how much we really know about Luke Cage and that we can expect a major shift in the finale. Naturally, he does not elaborate what exactly that means but it will be interesting to see how they shake things up.

A strong focus seems to be too smooth things out that did not fully land int he first season. While I personally quite enjoyed the second half, even if it was a bit more cartoonish in some parts, it did not strike a chord with everyone. They highlight that they realized they could not top Cottonmouth and are taking that experience into the next season.

“It was a great try. Some people enjoy the full season. Some really felt the second part was not as strong as the first. And I get both…but you’ve got to take a chance to make your series different, and I thought it was commendable. If people thought it was a miss, that’s fine. We have a different approach for the next season.” 

The new villain for the second season will be Bushmaster, who has quite a history with Luke, Danny, and Misty in the comics. They describe the new villain to be “bullet resistant” but in a different way that Cage is. They are similar in terms of strength but he will have a different way of healing in contrast to Cage having bullets simply bounce off of him. They also point out that they will retain his Carribean background in the series.

“Jamaica has always been a country of resistance. They were the first to cast off their shackles and say, ‘We have our own government, this is how we’re doing things.’ We put a lot of that stuff into the character of Bushmaster.”  

He won’t be the only adversary Cage will face as Gabrielle Dennis is confirmed to be playing Nightshade. In the comics, she is a biochemist who uses her knowledge and sex appeal to get her way. Outside of confirming her character, they do not reveal much about what we can expect from her in the series and what role she will play.

They also promised much smoother fight sequences as they learned from previous experiences. Moreover, Finn Jones‘ Danny Rand will help out his fellow Defender in finding a way to do more than just slap his enemies around.

“Danny helps Luke channel his chi in a fight to end all fights that was just one of the most fun things we’ve done.”

We also get a new look at the Heroes for Hire getting ready in an exclusive screenshot from Pilot TV:

Colter also reveals that he and Finn get along quite well and Coker adds the fact that a potential Heroes for Hire series is not off the table. This may also tease more crossovers between the two shows, as they build up the friendship of these two characters over various arcs. Another important ally in Cage’s life, Simone Missick’s Misty Knight will return next season with her famous robot hand. They tease that this truly defines her and that she may have left her time as a cop behind her.

Another major aspect from the last season is returning, as Coker promises even better music for season two. He points out that actual music legends will appear. He also points out that while it is fun to see the various characters crossover in The Defenders, he believes that the stakes are higher in their personal stories. Especially this season will have Cage face the fact that anyone can die at any time, as Bushmaster will be quite the lethal foe to face.

What are your thoughts? What are your hopes for the upcoming season?

Source: ComicBookMovie.com, Empire Online