Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy) and Rosario Dawson (Daredevil) will join the cast of Luke Cage, the third installment in Marvel’s four-series deal with Netflix.
Mike Colter (Million Dollar Baby, The Good Wife) was previously announced as Luke Cage, the superhero known for his impenetrable skin and unnatural strength. Dawson will play Claire Temple, who will crossover from her turn as the nurse/ally of Daredevil on the titular show to become Luke’s love interest, according to Deadline. Dawson’s Temple will also make an appearance in Netflix/Marvel’s Jessica Jones.
In the comic, Luke is sent to prison on a bad rap before obtaining superpowers in an experiment-gone-wrong, escaping from prison, and becoming a “superhero for hire.” He will have two main enemies, according to Deadline. Rossi — who previously starred as Juan Carlos “Juice” Ortiz in Sons of Anarchy — will play the “relentless and menacing” criminal Alvarez (aka Shades). Alfre Woodard will play another villain, most likely based on Cage’s nemesis Black Mariah.
“When I look at the scripts, I’m really pleased with it because it’s a slow-burn,” said Colter about the upcoming series to IGN. “There’s nothing happening really fast that gets ahead of itself. I’m really with where they’re taking it and how they’re developing the characters, because it’s really cool and it’s geared towards an adult audience, which is something that will be different from the Marvel Cinematic Universe you’ve seen before on the big screen.”
Further details on the Netflix adaptation of the series, helmed by exec producer Cheo Hodari Coker, are not yet available. It’s expected to have a Spring 2016 release, coming after Jessica Jones‘ late 2015 release. Both Dawson’s Claire Temple (who previously appeared on Daredevil) and Colter’s Luke Cage will also appear on Jessica Jones.
After Luke Cage, Marvel will have two more Netflix original series forthcoming: an adaptation of Iron Fist, and The Defenders miniseries.
