Marvel Studios is killing the game right now. On top of their wildly successful Cinematic Universe, "Daredevil" just launched to an overwhelmingly positive reception on Netflix. The positive critical success of the first season has laid the ground work for The Defenders shows ("AKA Jessica Jones," "Luke Cage") which will be available for bingeing in the near future.
The Netflix programs have been confirmed to be a part of the shared universe Marvel is building on the big screen. That has led fans to wonder if there will be some crossover between mediums. Will Matt Murdock join the Avengers? Could Tony Stark ever make a cameo on "Daredevil?" You know, that kind of stuff. Marvel has acknowledged that such discussions have taken place and today we are getting our first morsel of information about it.
Bleeding Cool is reporting that Marvel plans to include Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctot Strange character in the upcoming "Iron Fist" Netflix series which should debut sometime in 2016. However, at this point it is unknown if Cumberbatch himself will be making an appearance or if the character will just be mentioned or seen in passing with the use of a body double.
"Doctor Strange" is hitting the silver screen next fall and will bring with it a world of magic and mysticism. That aspect is what makes a crossover with Iron Fist, who also dabbles in the supernatural arts, make sense. It would also help introduce fans to these less grounded elements of the MCU.
On the flip side, there's also the question of if this is even the right move. "Daredevil" was praised for standing alone from the "Avengers" series, only touching on the overarching connections in small and organic ways. Would shoehorning Doctor Strange into "Iron Fist" be handled the same way or would it feel too much like cross-promotion? Striking a balance between the two is a very tricky proposition.
This is still far away from being a sure thing. Marvel likes to maintain flexibility and change course on a dime. Plus, the role of Iron Fist has yet to even be cast and the studio hasn't even found a show-runner yet. Saying this project is in the early development stages would be an understatement.
