Credit: Netflix2024 will reportedly see the return of Iron Fist in Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe in an unexpected fashion.
Related: Amidst ‘Daredevil’ Production, Another ‘Defenders’ Star Talks MCU Comeback
According to rumors from online scooper, Can We Get Some Toast? (@CanWeGetToast), and via Comic Book Movie, the Defender Iron Fist will make his first official appearance in the MCU in six years in Ryan Coogler’s (Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) recently announced upcoming Eyes of Wakanda animated series.
No details were shared as to how the superhero would arrive in the MCU or how the ties between him and the nation of Wakanda would play out, but this would certainly pave the way for Iron Fist to make his transition into live-action. It is also not clear which version of Iron Fist will feature in the TV series.
Coogler’s Eyes of Wakanda series was announced just earlier this month, with the Black Panther-centric show joining other animated efforts, Beau DeMayo’s X-Men ’97 and Jeff Trammell’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (formerly Spider-Man: Freshman Year), next year on Disney+.
Eyes of Wakanda was revealed during the What If…? Season 2 event in mid-December, where Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum shared a sizzle reel featuring the Coogler-led series. The short tagline reads: “Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story.”
There is no date as to when fans can expect Eyes of Wakanda on Disney+. What If…? Season 2 will finish airing on the streaming service on December 30, 2023, following a daily release schedule over the last nine days.
As for Iron Fist, the Marvel Television show, which originally aired for two seasons on Netflix, can also be found on Disney+. Iron Fist starred Finn Jones as the titular Iron Fist, or Danny Rand, and shared the same universe and continuity as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and The Defenders. While not necessarily as interconnected as the primary MCU movies, the Defenders shows were also considered part of Marvel Studios’ main live-action franchise.
While the likes of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, which both ran for three seasons and starred Charlie Cox and Krysten Ritter, respectively, were universally well-received, Iron Fist was largely panned. Still, the series, which was created by Scott Buck, ran for 23 episodes on Netflix, and that is where audiences could access it prior to Disney regaining the licensing in March 2022. All seasons of the Defender-Verse, from Daredevil to Iron Fist, can now be found on Disney+ alongside the other Marvel TV offerings like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Moon Knight, and Loki.
Related: Marvel Replaces Iron Fist, Announces New Series
Iron Fist first appeared in Marvel Comics almost 50 years ago. He was created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, with his first appearance found in “Marvel Premiere #15.” Iron Fist is a practitioner of the martial arts and wielder of the magical power of the Iron Fist.
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