In a move that will likely surprise no one, Marvel’s Iron Fist will have a new showrunner for Season 2.
Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Raven Metzner has been hired to shepherd the second frame of Danny Rand’s journey for Marvel TV, ABC Studios, and Netflix. Metzner replaces series creator and first season exec Scott Buck, who is busy running Marvel’s Inhumans for ABC.
Metzner was previously a writer for Sleepy Hollow, TNT’s Steven Spielberg-produced Falling Skies, and the 2005 less-than-gem Elektra, starring Jennifer Garner as the resurrected assassin. He also served as a consulting producer on Falling Skies and NBC’s Heroes Reborn, and as a co-executive producer on Sleepy Hollow for its first three seasons, and as executive producer for its fourth and final season.
Some fresh blood was expected given the tepid response to the kung fu drama’s first season. While some interesting story points were introduced, it never felt like Buck and his team broke the story and plot for the opening season down very well. The first run of 5 or 6 episodes could’ve benefited from being condensed to two, and there were often times when plot points and beats were repeated and the narrative would meander.
Rewatching the first season, it’s better than the wave of negative reviews and press coverage suggested, but clear it needed stronger vision and focus. Let’s hope Metzner brings that.
Marvel’s Iron Fist Season 2 was officially announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2017 on Friday. No production start date and no premiere date have been announced. It’s anticipated the season will drop on Netflix at sometime in 2019.