Mike Colter as Luke Cage simply hopes people are accepting of Cage, regardless of the color of his skin. While a black hero may seem like a rarity on-screen at this point, something that is slowly changing, it doesn’t make him different than any other superhero out there.
Marvel's Luke Cage - Official trailer | HD
Marvel’s ‘Luke Cage’: Every important musical moment: From Raphael Saadiq to Sharon Jones
At the stroke of midnight on Friday (Sept. 30), viewers everywhere dropped what they were doing to tune into Netflix's newest Marvel series, "Luke Cage." Introducing audiences to the latest (future) member of The Defenders, we got a closer look at the life and times of one Luke Cage (Mike Colter).
Not only does the show pay tribute to its comic book roots, the series is also a love letter to the city of Harlem, gangster movies of the past -- there are some series shout outs to "New Jack City" throughout -- and the music (and literature) that formed the city and its culture.
The man behind the series is one Cheo Hodari Coker and if anyone was the perfect person to bring "Luke Cage" to Netflix, it'd be him. Not only does he succeed at embedding elements of the city's real-life history into the mix, he also stays true to his journalistic roots by using music to really bring the whole thing to life.
“Luke Cage” and the racial empathy gap: “Why do they talk about being black all the time?”
If white viewers dislike the Marvel show's focus on black characters, it's because they're used to being catered to
Although the show has received mostly positive reviews from critics, there’s one demographic that’s less jazzed about Marvel’s ode to black strength and resilience: white people. On Twitter, some viewers of the Caucasian persuasion took “Luke Cage” to task for its portrayal of white people — namely because the show doesn’t portray them at all. Featuring a deep bench of talented actors — including Alfre Woodard (“12 Years a Slave”), Rosario Dawson (“Grindhouse”) and Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight”) — only two white characters recur often enough to appear in six or more episodes of the freshman season.
‘Luke Cage’ EP Wanted Prince To Guest Star; Reveals Which Plot Point Was For ‘Purple Rain’ Singer
“Marvel’s Luke Cage” is loaded with celebrity cameos, but one singer that the writers wanted didn’t make it into the series. Executive producer Cheo Hodari Coker revealed that he originally planned to convince Prince to guest star in the finale of the Netflix drama.
In the series of tweets, Coker revealed that the swear jar in Pop’s Barber Shop was created with the “Purple Rain” singer in mind. Coker was hoping it would help Prince to make an appearance.
