'Luke Cage' star Mike Colter on Marvel's first black lead: 'It's important'
BEVERLY HILLS, California -- Mike Colter is ready for Marvel fans to get to know the new Luke Cage.
"It's important in the landscape of television and globally as far as symbols," Mike Colter, who plays the titular character, told reporters at Netflix's Television Critics Association presentation Wednesday.
The new series follows Marvel's comic book hero-for-hire Luke Cage, a Marvel character known for his strength and gang-busting. It co-stars Mahershala Ali, Alfe Woodard, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi and Frank Whaley. It takes place in Harlem in 1972.
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"When you look at black culture, it's important to have positive images. It's an overwhelming task to carry this on your shoulders," Colter added. "We have no agenda, but I hope that the black community can feel good about it as well."
Showrunner Cheo Coker said he is excited for fans to see Cage's character grow.
"[Jessica Jones executive producer] Melissa Rosenberg provided such a great introduction to the character," Coker said. "In our show, this is from Luke's POV. This is like, when Luke was off camera, what was Luke doing? We're following that character and as a result, expanding it. We're getting into a different world."
The show launches on Netflix on Sept. 30.
Topics Netflix
Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
