Four superheroes join forces in miniseries for fans
NEW YORK — Maybe you know them as Iron Fist and Daredevil. But now Finn Jones and Charlie Cox, who star as these Marvel superheroes on the Netflix series Iron Fist and Daredevil, have joined forces with Mike Colter (Luke Cage) and Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) for a muchawaited miniseries hybrid.
The Defenders, which finds this Fab Four uniting to fight a fearsome conspiracy mounted against New York City, is now available on Netflix.
This week, Jones and Cox got together to chat with the Associated Press about The Defenders and being part of this eightepisode joint venture.
Cox: I’m not sure this has been done before, where you’ve got four series, four characters who have their own shows, teaming up for a miniseries. It’s a process we had known about for a long time, so it felt like a celebration. We were ready for it and excited to see how it would turn out. Jones: When we started to play off each other it really felt natural, because all the prep work had been in place for a number of years. All of us had a background in having to lead one of these shows by ourself, so there was a level of support. We were like soldiers in the trenches, which was cool.
Q: Is a grounding in the four series is a prerequisite for viewers to sign on for The Defenders? Cox: I do think it’s made primarily for the fans of the other shows. A lot of the enjoyment is going to be had by a fan base that appreciates the other shows and gets to enjoy what it’s like to witness the characters’ dynamics and relationships. But hopefully it can be enjoyed by anyone. Cox: Marvel has a variety of shows which all have the superhero element. But they’re all completely different genres. Jessica Jones is a psychological thriller. Daredevil is a crime drama. The superhero element is something sprinkled on top as kind of a garnish.”
Q: What was your level of involvement with the comic book world and the Marvel Cinematic Universe before stepping into their respective Netflix series? Cox and Jones (in unison): Zero. Cox: When you come to this having not had any real experience with these characters or these comics, you have to look at it from a slightly different angle: Maybe bringing fresh eyes to it will be beneficial. I felt a little bit detached from the history of it, and I could look at the comics and the scripts and find a character that was specific rather than trying to please everyone. Jones: First and foremost, they’re human beings, and second to that, they’re people with powers. When I took on this character, I wasn’t like: ‘What’s his powers?’ I was like: ‘What are his struggles? What are his vulnerabilities?’ That’s what makes the character.” Cox: But these characters have been read and beloved for years, and it’s important to a lot of people that we get it right. So I feel a great level of responsibility. When it does work out, and when the fan base appreciates the work, that’s a gratifying experience.”