With former Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter (and certain Disney executives) pushing to bring the MCU to television, Marvel Television and Jeph Loeb teamed with Netflix to bring The Defenders to streaming.
The end result was something of a mixed bag, though most fans agreed that the Iron Fist TV series was the biggest disappointment. Now, though, the Living Weapon may get another chance on Disney+ as scooper @CanWeGetToast claims the hero will appear in Ryan Coogler's animated Black Panther spin-off Eyes of Wakanda.
We know very little beyond that, including which Iron Fist we'll see in action. However, the news has excited fans, especially as Coogler already delivered an authentic and compelling new take on Namor the Submariner in last year's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The official synopsis for the animated spin-off states, "Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story."
The prevailing theory is that the show will focus on members of the Dora Milaje and how they serve their home nation (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, for example, showed them tracking down an escaped Baron Zemo). This time, it appears we'll pick up with them throughout the MCU's history.
That's bound to lead to appearances from T'Challa's predecessors, including his father T'Chaka. It also likely means the Iron Fist we meet in Eyes of Wakanda won't be Danny Rand and will, instead, be one of the many other heroes to hold that mantle.
However, this will surely open the door to Iron Fist making an appearance in live-action. Marvel Studios has already given Daredevil another chance, bringing back Charlie Cox as the Man Without Fear. Krysten Ritter is also expected to play Jessica Jones again, though we've heard that neither Finn Jones nor Mike Colter will return to reprise their respective roles as Luke Cage and Danny Rand.
In the comics, Iron Fist is most often associated with the superhero teams Heroes for Hire and the Defenders. Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, the character first appeared in 1974 and the best-known iteration is Danny Rand, a martial artist who gains the power of the Iron Fist after defeating the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying.
His newfound abilities allow him to focus his chi into his fist, enhancing his combat skills. In recent years, Marvel Comics has sidelined Danny and instead passed the mantle to a character of Asian descent called Lin Lie.
Are you excited to see Iron Fist potentially make his MCU debut?