It seems like Marvel Television didn’t only have issues with Asian villains in Daredevil having flushed-out storylines, they also weren’t too keen about having Danny Rand in Iron Fist being Asian-American or possibly mixed-race.
During a panel for #SaveDaredevil on YouTube, the subject switched from Daredevil to almost having a mixed-race version of Danny Rand and this potentially was pitched to Marvel at some point in the development process by showrunner Doug Petrie (Daredevil, The Defenders).
Daredevil actor Tommy Walker revealed that Doug attempted to pitch a progressive version of Iron Fist that was ultimately rejected while teasing that version of Danny might have been mixed-race.
WALKER: “A very good friend of mine Doug Petrie, the showrunner of Season 2 of Daredevil, he was on Season 1 as you know and then an executive producer on Defenders. I think I can say this much safely that man came up with some brilliant pitches for Iron Fist early on before Iron Fist was well into production…but they were along those lines, very very thoughtful very progressive for the time.”
At the time of Iron Fist‘s casting Shang-Chi hadn’t been announced and Marvel didn’t have any public plans to give fans an Asian superhero, so there was an effort by fans to see various Asian-American actors considered for the role.
Ultimately, Danny was played by British actor Finn Jones and the character seemingly will be under the management of Kevin Feige in the not too distant future.
SOURCE: #SAVEDAREDEVIL
THE RONIN 