Following early rumors that spread online last week, star Michael Colter confirmed Luke Cage season 2 will begin filming in June 2017. The series made its debut in September 2016, bumping the bulletproof superhero’s supporting story line in Jessica Jones to a leading role. It was widely well received and was considered by many as the streaming giant’s best Marvel rollout thus far, nabbing a renewal by December.
Since then, focus has been on the next round of Marvel efforts: the critically derided but still beloved Iron Fist premiered in March, superhero team-up The Defenders is set for release August 18, The Punisher is due out later this year, and Jessica Jones is currently filming its second run. But a tweet from Simone Massick (Misty Knight) earlier this month stoked speculation that Luke Cage would soon be heading back into production.
As reported by Comicbook.com, Colter confirmed the news while at the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo on Sunday. He revealed that principal photography will start in June and that filming will wrap by March of 2018, which suggests that Luke Cage Season 2 could arrive as soon as mid to late 2018.
This means casting announcements should be popping up soon, though what the story will entail remains unclear. The Defenders will pick up after Cage’s release from prison, and his season 2 narrative will predominantly depend on the events that unfold in those episodes. Diamondback, Shades, and Mariah Dillard were all still at large at the end of season one, so the show could revisit those loose ends, though two possible new villains have already made the rounds in the rumor mill.
Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker has also been careful to note that season one was ultimately about the “evolution of a hero,” teasing the introduction of ‘Heroes for Hire’ as another season 2 possibility. With The Defenders still on the horizon, it’s likely no definitive details will be released until after that story has had a chance to be told. However, with Luke Cage beginning filming in the very near future, at least some of its material should start to take shape in the ensuing months.
The Defenders arrives on August 18th, while The Punisher will hit later this year. Daredevil seasons 1 and 2, Jessica Jones season 1, Luke Cage season 1, and Iron Fist season 1 are now available on Netflix. Premiere dates for the next seasons of Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Luke Cage have not yet been revealed.
Source: Comicbook.com
