With the core cast already in place and the supporting cast coming together a little more each day, the series now has a director for its first two episodes — and the name behind the camera will be a familiar one for fans of Marvel’s Netflix universe. In a joint announcement made this week by Marvel and Netflix, Jessica Jones director S.J. Clarkson was hired to helm the first two episodes of the eight-part miniseries.
“S.J.’s take on the material is outstanding,” said Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s head of television, in an official statement accompanying the announcement. “We loved her work on Marvel’s Jessica Jones and couldn’t think of a more talented and accomplished person to helm the first two episodes of Marvel’s The Defenders.”
Marco Ramirez and Doug Petrie, who served as showrunners on Daredevil, will serve the same role on The Defenders.
The cast of The Defenders currently features Daredevil star Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock, Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, and Iron Fist star Finn Jones as Danny Rand. Supporting cast members from the four solo series who are expected to return for The Defenders include Deborah Ann Woll (Daredevil) as Karen Page, Simone Missick (Luke Cage) as Misty Knight, Elden Henson (Daredevil) as Foggy Nelson, Eka Darville (Jessica Jones) as Malcolm, and Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones) as Jeri Hogarth.
Jon Bernthal is also rumored to reprise his role as The Punisher for the miniseries, and Sigourney Weaver is confirmed to play the still-unidentified villain of the miniseries.
The Defenders is expected to premiere in 2017.
