NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES "MARVEL'S LUKE CAGE" ADDS TO THE CAST

Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Frank Whaley and Rosario Dawson join the series!

"Marvel's Luke Cage" has added four important characters with Misty Knight, Shades, Rafael Scarfe and Claire Temple. The series will be streaming everywhere Netflix is available in 2016.

Simone Missick ("Ray Donovan") has joined the cast to play popular character Misty Knight, a Harlem police detective who is determined to learn the truth about Luke Cage.

"We know fans have waited years to see Misty Knight brought to life, so we had to find the right actress," said Executive Producer/Marvel's Head of TV Jeph Loeb. "Simone blew us away with her performance as the strong-willed cop on a mission."

Theo Rossi ("Sons of Anarchy," "Bad Hurt") has joined the cast as Shades, a ruthless criminal with ties to Cage's mysterious past.

"Theo Rossi is a swiss army knife--no matter what you bring to him, he has a tool for it--and he's playfully unpredictable," said series Executive Producer and Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker. "His Shades will be someone you hate to love."

Frank Whaley ("Ray Donovan," "Pulp Fiction") has been cast as Rafael Scarfe, a hard-nosed NYPD detective who partners with Misty Knight in their Luke Cage investigation.

"Frank Whaley has a wiry intensity that he's imbued in Det. Rafael Scarfe," said Coker. "He's a great counterpart to Misty, and a wonderful actor."

Actress Rosario Dawson, celebrated for her work in "Top Five," "Sin City," and "Kids," will reprise her role from "Marvel's Daredevil" as nurse Claire Temple. Her blossoming friendship with Luke Cage will have a major impact on both characters' lives.

"We are thrilled to have Rosario in another one of our television series," said Loeb. "Her performance as Claire Temple in Marvel's Daredevil was astonishing and we can't wait to see her shine in Marvel's Luke Cage."

It was previously announced that Mike Colter ("Marvel's Jessica Jones," "The Good Wife") will play the charismatic lead character, Luke Cage, in the series. Mahershala Ali will play his archrival Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes. Cheo Hodari Coker ("SouthLAnd," "Ray Donovan") will write the series' first two episodes in addition to serving as showrunner and Executive Producer along with Loeb.

After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city - forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.

"Marvel's Luke Cage" is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.