"It's geared towards an adult audience, which is something that will be different from the Marvel Cinematic Universe that you've seen before on the big screen," says Mike Colter, the actor charged with bringing Luke Cage to life in the forthcoming Netflix series.

“ It’s geared towards a more adult audience and I think that’s the thing about the series that will be different."

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“ The approach with the character for me is more about the human qualities and the things that make Luke Cage tick."

"I'm excited about playing the character because I've read the comic books," says Colter. "They're very detailed, gritty; the world they've written in the comic books is very clear. Marvel does a fantastic job about bringing human stories – because you're telling big stories with a heart at the centre of it – and that's what connects all of the characters to our audience members. Audience members have to feel connected with these characters, to make them relate to the character's situations and that's what you see with all of the Marvel characters."He went on to describe more about how the Netflix show, which has yet to begin shooting, and why he's so eager to play the iconic Marvel character and how the writers are approaching the character: "What I’m most excited about is touching on what makes him tick. It feels good to get a character that has such a story, background, and history. And when I look at the scripts, I’m really pleased with it because it’s a slow-burn; there’s nothing happening really fast that gets ahead of itself. I’m really with where they’re taking it and how they’re developing the characters, because it’s really cool and it’s geared towards an adult audience, which is something that will be different from the Marvel Cinematic Universe you’ve seen before on the big screen."We have a more gritty, focused story on our heroes and characters that live in New York City, but it’s geared towards a more adult audience and I think that’s the thing about the series that will be different."This certainly tallies with what we've already seen on Netflix's first Marvel adaptation, Daredevil, which debuts on April 10th.The character of Luke Cage debuted in the pages of Marvel's comics back in the early 1970s, a time when its books were predominantly filled with white superheroes. Race was an important factor when the character was conceived by Archie Goodwin and John Romita, Sr. While Colter's familiar with the character's origin, race isn't something he's thinking about too much going into playing the character – that's something for the writers to worry about, he says."If you are a certain race, you know that. It’s not a big thing with me. I’m a black male who’s playing a character who has historically been black. The approach with the character for me is more about the human qualities and the things that make Luke Cage tick. And the writers have to then decide to bring in the race of the character, if there’s an angle there. But I don’t look at it as something I have to prep differently for, because I am what I am and I approach the characters as they have to then be played by me, Mike Colter – the actor who happens to be black. It’s more of an aside, rather than something I take on by the horns. It doesn’t really factor for me at all."Netflix is currently producing four shows based on Marvel properties: Daredevil, AKA Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. All four characters will eventually team up for a miniseries based on The Defenders. What a time to be alive.

Daniel is IGN's Games Editor over in London. He writes about movies, too. You can be part of the world's most embarrassing cult by following him on IGN and Twitter