What once seemed impossible is now a reality. Daredevil: Born Again has made Netflix's Marvel series MCU canon. The show's first season brought back Jon Bernthal's Punisher, and featured an Easter egg referencing Luke Cage. Season 2 is taking things one step further by bringing back Krysten Ritter as everyone's favorite PI, Jessica Jones. With that exciting return lined up, there's been speculation about Mike Colter's Luke Cage and Finn Jones' Iron Fist also making their presence felt in Born Again's second chapter.
Though Colter's Luke Cage was generally well-received, Jones' Danny Rand was another story. His take on the character failed to resonate with audiences, and his show didn't fare much better, either, often considered the weakest entry in Netflix's ambitious slate of Marvel series. Still, despite such struggles, Jones is eager to return to the role. Speaking at a convention in early 2025, the actor asked fans to give him a chance to play Iron Fist again:
"[There is a lot of willingness] for the fans to see that happen. There's a lot of willingness for the fans to see that not happen, as well. Like, I'm very aware of the critiques of the character and my role in it. My response to that is, "Give me a f*cking chance, man." I'm here and I'm ready, and I wanna prove people wrong. And so, yeah, I would love to see that happen."
And you know what? He's right.
Finn Jones Does Need A Second Chance Playing Iron Fist
There are certain superhero actors that will go down in history as some of the best casting decisions in history. Among them are Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Chris Evans as Captain America, Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones and Charlie Cox as Daredevil. Without exaggeration, Finn Jones has the potential to join that Mount Rushmore of superhero castings — both in terms of looks and portrayal capabilities.
Let me take you back to 2016, when Finn Jones was announced to play the Immortal Iron Fist. I remember looking at his picture, not being familiar with his work, and being astounded by the resemblance Jones had to Danny Rand. I am not lying when I tell you I literally jumped around in circles excited about the pick. Then, the first trailer for the show arrived... and it was just what I wanted from a live-action Rand. Now, granted, there was no costume, but the vibe of the footage and Jones' portrayal sold me on him as the character.
Then, the show arrived, and it, unfortunatley, turned out to be a critical dud. With a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score, it was clear Danny Rand's standalone adventure had failed to connect with viewers. However, even with that reception, I must say — Iron Fist Season 1 was good. Now, if you've read my articles for long enough, I am what you might call a basic b*tch in terms of movie and TV tastes, so you might not be inclined to take my opinion to heart. Alas, I'm a staunch, unapologetic defender of season 1 of Iron Fist.
Season 1 was a blast, and aside from the many talented performers on the show, my enjoyment of it was mostly due to Finn Jones' performance. He captured something special about Iron Fist. I bought the fun dynamic he was going for — of looking like unassuming, laid-back guy, but who was secretly one of the deadliest people on the planet. Had Danny gotten a shave and his comic book costume, and had the show toned down a little bit of the lesser-quality writing moments, Iron Fist Season 1 would have been a pretty-close-to-perfect representation of its title character.
The Defenders and Iron Fist Season 2
For all of my gushing, it wasn't all a smooth ride on the Iron Fist train for me. My enjoyment of Jones' performance dipped with The Defenders and Season 2 of Iron Fist. He was just too moody and rash for my taste; a stark contrast to the laid-back, zen fella Rand is supposed to be. Overall, I greatly dislike Iron Fist's second season; and much of that dislike comes from how Danny was portrayed in it.
Having said that, the end result was not necessarily Finn Jones' fault. He was written a certain way, and likely instructed to act as such... and he did a competent job at it. But don't let those speedbumps fool you: The actor has a great Danny Rand in him. Case in point, Luke Cage Season 2.
Luke Cage's second installment featured a crossover episode, "The Main Ingredient," in which Mike Colter's hero teamed up with Danny Rand. The result was one of the funnest episodes of the Netflix-Marvel offerings at the time. Danny was zen, focused and funny. His chemistry with Cage was palpable, and it made me want to see more of that version of him. Unfortunately, that didn't end up happening, but Jones was able to prove that, despite the setbacks of his own series, he does indeed have the ability to portray the Danny Rand comic book fans are familiar with.
Marvel Studios is playing more with the Iron Fist mythology. The upcoming animated Disney+ series, Eyes of Wakanda, for example, will introduce a past version of Iron Fist. Hopefully, that's a sign of Marvel Studios being open to exploring more of the hero's lore, which could, potentially, lead to the studio giving Jones' dragon-themed crimefighter another opportunity to shine — this time with a more comic-accurate flair to him.
Being someone who's, for years, eagerly awaited Danny Rand's return to the MCU, I will be crossing my fingers for Jones' Immortal Iron Fist to make his presence felt in Born Again's second installment.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is scheduled to arrive on Disney+ in April 2026.