After a childhood jet-accident strands him in the mountains for fifteen years, the presumed-dead heir to Rand Enterprises returns to New York to find his family business has been purloined by childhood friends. Trained in martial arts with an ancient force of energy on his side (accompanied by a killer chest-tattoo), it is not long until he is tearing it up with luminous fists-of-fury. Marvel is getting its Kung Fu on. Welcome, Danny Rand.
While Iron Fist’s trailers demonstrate the tonal grit of previous Marvel shows, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the saga is each series’ ability to reflect different genres alongside their source material. Where Daredevil launched the party with the split-personality vigilantism and reams of self-questioning familiar to the conventional ‘superhero flick’, Jessica Jones went noticeably darker in its psychological character-studies. Luke Cage brought some fun with its too cool for school exchanges and 80’s cop movie aesthetic. Though it is obvious Rand occupies the same world of mob-leaders and corporate corruption as his counterparts, snippets of stylised action suggest we might see Iron Fist touch Bruce Lee terrain. Rand’s origin within 1970’s martial arts hero trends only strengthens that notion.
The introduction of kickass accomplice Colleen Wing is amongst the most exciting part of the trailer. Though she is shown briefly up close-and-personal with Danny, actor Jessica Henwick stated Wing ‘doesn’t want to be anyone’s love interest and open herself up in that way’ possibly pointing to deeper character conflicts that will be interesting to see unfold. Madame Gao implies she will oppose Rand in some way, but whether or not she is the Big-Bad remains unclear. In the comics, Danny’s harnessed-power sees jealous student Davos attempt to absorb it as the masterful Steel Serpent, and the inclusion of the supervillain’s insignia is certainly intriguing. Does the symbol just represent Gao’s drug biz, or might we see Davos rear his envious head?
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