While True Believers are busy getting hyped about the new season of ‘Daredevil’ premiering on Netflix next month, the House of Ideas has just announced the newest hero to join the popular streaming service’s corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After many months of speculation and a major debate regarding the character’s race, we now know who will play Danny Rand, the immortal Iron Fist.
According to Deadline, Finn Jones will be the lead star in ‘Iron Fist’ the titular mystical martial artist trained in the mysterious lost city of K’un-L’un. Though he has appeared in a number of British shows such as ‘Hollyoaks’ and ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’, Jones is primarily known to audiences around the world as Ser Loras Tyrell on ‘Game of Thrones’. Now in the fourth piece of the puzzle that ultimately leads to the epic crossover series ‘The Defenders’, the English actor will play “a handsome, sophisticated loner, returning to New York City after having spent several years missing”.
In light of the demand for more diversity in Hollywood these days, this may be an extremely disappointing choice for those hoping for an Asian or Asian-American actor take up the mantle of Iron Fist. It would have also added another more modern layer to the character that was created during the Kung Fu craze of the 1970s. However, with an important location in Rand’s life being a lost city in the far east, there will presumably be plenty of opportunities for Marvel to showcase Asian and Asian-American talent.
With Danny Rand now cast, we’re likely to hear more details regarding ‘Iron Fist’ in the near future. We may even see Jones pop up in ‘Luke Cage’ when that show debuts sometime this year. But until then, let us know what you think about this casting in the comments.
