As Marvel Studios prepares for the release of ‘Jessica Jones’ later this year, things seems to be moving right along on ‘Luke Cage.’ After making his first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance alongside Krysten Ritter in the House of Ideas’ second Netflix series, Mike Colter will go on to star in his own show about a wrongly accused man who escapes prison to become a superhero for hire thanks to a sabotaged experiment. But every hero needs a villain and we may have just learned who will be going toe to toe with our hero in ‘Luke Cage.’
Deadline reports that Alfre Woodard is finalizing a deal to star opposite Colter in the upcoming Marvel show. The Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy nominated actress has appeared in numerous productions on the stage and screen including ‘Love & Basketball,’ ‘Radio,’ ’12 Years A Slave,’ ‘St. Elsewhere,’ and ‘Desperate Housewives.’ Now she’ll appear in the MCU as Minetta, a powerful woman in local politics who will have an impact on Luke Cage’s life.
Though this has not been confirmed yet, Woodard’s character has been said to be a new version of the villain Black Mariah, a drug dealer and leader of the gang known as the Rat Pack. In the comics, she has been known to be a nemesis of Cage and Iron Fist, so this may be among the first of many connections to the live-action version of Danny Rand before he goes on to star in his own Netflix show.
If this deal goes through, it sounds like Woodard’s Minetta will be Luke Cage’s very own Wilson Fisk or Kilgrave. But Black Mariah isn’t exactly as iconic as the Kingpin or the Purple Man. Do you think that showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker’s version will elevate the character to a new level? Let us know what you think about the casting and the character in the comments below.