15 Actors Who Could Be the Next Iron Fist in the MCU

The legend of Iron Fist comes with a clear checklist. The character blends high level martial arts, intense hand to hand choreography, and a story that ties mystical training with modern city stakes. Anyone who wears the mantle needs proven action skills on camera, the stamina to handle long fight days, and the presence to carry solo adventures while sliding into larger team stories.

Fans know the iconography of the glowing fist and the lore of K’un Lun. That means the role benefits from performers who have logged time with weapons work, screen fighting, or athletic disciplines, as well as a track record in genre projects. Here are fifteen actors with resumes that line up with what the character demands.

Andrew Koji

Andrew Koji leads the series ‘Warrior’ and brought large scale martial arts to television with extensive stunt rehearsals and weapon work. He also played Storm Shadow in ‘Snake Eyes’ and trained for sword and close quarters sequences across that production. His career began with a mix of acting and stunt performance in the UK, which gave him a strong foundation for complex choreography on set.

He works across English and Japanese language projects and has experience coordinating with international crews. His background includes screenwriting and producing credits that show a wide view of how action scenes are built from page to picture, which helps when collaborating with fight teams.

Henry Golding

Henry Golding headlined ‘Snake Eyes’ and underwent months of blade and hand to hand training for its set pieces. He broke out with ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and followed with crime ensemble work in ‘The Gentlemen’, balancing action with grounded character beats across very different projects.

He was raised in both Malaysia and the United Kingdom and has worked as a host and actor, which makes him comfortable with global media tours. His filmography shows a move from dramatic roles to action focused leads, supported by consistent work with stunt departments and military style preparation blocks.

Iko Uwais

Iko Uwais is a pencak silat practitioner who starred in ‘The Raid’ and ‘The Raid 2’ and also choreographed key sequences in those films. He brought his skill set to the series ‘Wu Assassins’, where he led an ensemble and sustained frequent fight days with complex camera blocking.

He transitioned to Hollywood projects with roles in ‘Mile 22’ and ‘Stuber’ and has collaborated with multiple second unit teams on designing clean, readable action. He works in Indonesian and English and has led both independent and studio shoots, which shows comfort with a wide range of production scales.

Joe Taslim

Joe Taslim competed on Indonesia’s national judo team and later moved into film with standout work in ‘The Raid’ and ‘The Night Comes for Us’. He played Sub Zero in ‘Mortal Kombat’ with sword and grappling sequences that drew on his competitive base and additional screen fighting training.

He appears in the series ‘Warrior’ with recurring action scenes that mix unarmed combat and traditional weapons. He speaks Indonesian and English and has filmed in Asia and North America, bringing experience with varied stunt teams and filming standards.

Ludi Lin

Ludi Lin played Liu Kang in ‘Mortal Kombat’ and Zack in ‘Power Rangers’, both of which required extensive striking, kicks, and wire assists under tight schedules. He also appeared in ‘Aquaman’ and worked underwater and in armor with physical demands that required strong conditioning.

He grew up in China and Canada and works in Mandarin and English across film and television. His background includes dedicated training blocks in multiple martial arts for on camera work and regular collaboration with fight coordinators on previsualization and rehearsal.

Daniel Wu

Daniel Wu led ‘Into the Badlands’ with long form wuxia influenced choreography and repeated weapons training cycles. He has a deep Hong Kong film resume that includes titles like ‘New Police Story’ and ‘Shinjuku Incident’, working with veteran action crews and directors.

He produces and directs as well, which gives him insight into second unit logistics and safety planning for action heavy shoots. He works in English and Cantonese and has managed both studio and indie schedules, maintaining consistency across demanding physical roles.

Dacre Montgomery

Dacre Montgomery fronted ‘Power Rangers’ as Jason and trained for team based action written around helmets, suits, and practical fights. He also played Billy in ‘Stranger Things’, handling athletic sequences and long episodic runs that required steady physical preparation.

He studied acting in Australia and has moved between franchise projects and independent films. His experience includes press circuits and fan driven events, which are standard parts of major superhero releases and ensemble crossovers.

Glen Powell

Glen Powell trained for aerial sequences in ‘Top Gun Maverick’ with military style preparation that emphasized fitness and G force tolerance. He portrayed a naval aviator on camera and coordinated with flight teams for choreography that matched real aircraft movement.

He followed with roles in ‘Devotion’ and ‘The Expendables 3’, adding ground level action beats to his filmography. He has worked in both large studio ensembles and smaller productions, which shows flexibility with different directors and second unit approaches.

Dylan O’Brien

Dylan O’Brien led ‘Teen Wolf’ across numerous seasons and handled wire gags and stunt setups common to supernatural action shows. He headlined ‘The Maze Runner’ series with frequent sprint and chase units and trained for urban combat sequences in ‘American Assassin’.

He returned to action work after recovering from a significant on set injury and completed later projects with renewed safety protocols. His resume spans television and film sets that rely on precise timing between actors and stunt teams, which is a key requirement for clean screen fighting.

Manny Jacinto

Manny Jacinto is a Filipino Canadian performer who began in competitive hip hop dance, which builds timing and coordination used in action choreography. He appeared in ‘Top Gun Maverick’ and trained with the cast for aviation themed sequences and physical endurance.

His credits include ‘The Good Place’, ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’, and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, which show range across comedy, thriller, and drama. He has completed athletic movement training for roles and works smoothly in ensemble environments with heavy rehearsal needs.

Darren Barnet

Darren Barnet is known for ‘Never Have I Ever’ and ‘Gran Turismo’, blending character work with racing focused production that required driver training and conditioning. He played collegiate lacrosse at Berry College and has maintained a fitness base through sports.

He speaks conversational Japanese and has voice acting credits in ‘Samurai Rabbit The Usagi Chronicles’. His recent film and series work has involved coordination with large casts and tight turnaround days, which mirrors the pacing of superhero productions.

Charles Melton

Charles Melton starred in ‘Riverdale’ and then earned widespread recognition for his dramatic turn in ‘May December’. He played football at Kansas State University as a walk on and has maintained athletic preparation during a busy filming schedule.

He appears in ‘The Sun Is Also a Star’ and has a fashion background with campaigns that demand consistent conditioning. His film slate shows a steady move from television to prestige film work, paired with the reliability that long running shoots require.

Avan Jogia

Avan Jogia headlined ‘Twisted’ and appeared in ‘Resident Evil Welcome to Raccoon City’, which put him on practical creature effect sets with tactical movement training. He also starred in ‘Zombieland Double Tap’ and handled physical comedy and action beats inside an ensemble.

He co wrote the poetry collection ‘Mixed Feelings’ and directed the indie feature ‘Door Mouse’, which adds experience behind the camera. He performs music as part of Saint Ivory and has built a cross media profile that aligns with the demands of global franchise promotion.

Mackenyu

Mackenyu plays Roronoa Zoro in Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ and trained intensively in sword choreography and core conditioning for long single take fights. He portrayed Enishi in ‘Rurouni Kenshin The Final’ and carried multi weapon sequences that blended speed and precision.

He is the son of action legend Sonny Chiba and grew up around sets that emphasized discipline in fight rehearsal. He works in Japanese and English and has experience bridging domestic Japanese productions with international streamers and their production systems.

Takeru Satoh

Takeru Satoh is best known for the live action ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ films where he performed demanding sword work with extended takes. He has also anchored television dramas like ‘First Love’ and built a career that moves smoothly between series and theatrical features.

He trained for repeated choreography passes with minimal cuts and completed many sequences in practical locations. He collaborates closely with stunt coordinators to protect timing, camera placement, and safety, which are essential for complex martial arts scenes.

Share your picks for the next Iron Fist in the comments and tell us who you would put on the shortlist.