This year Marvel Television and ABC Studios are prepping for two new series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to debut on Netflix, “Iron Fist” and the “Defenders” crossover. This particular franchise arm of the MCU has been enjoying plenty of success with viewers, who are definitely looking forward to the latest installment of “Iron Fist”. The series stars British actor Finn Jones as billionaire turned Buddhist monk and mystic martial artist Danny Rand, the titular Iron Fist who can channel his chi into a superhumanly powerful punch. It is comic-book storytelling at its finest, but lead actor Jones opines that the Netflix series and its companion shows have more secrecy going on than even “Game of Thrones”.

He should know; he worked in both.

Deeper production secrets, more passionate fans

Finn Jones once played the role of Ser Loras Tyrell in the long-running HBO cash cow series, based on the “Song of Ice and Fire” books by George R.R. Martin. Yet amazingly he believes, after working with Marvel Television and Netflix on “Iron Fist”, that the amount of secrecy they enforced not just on production details but also the story development was far greater than what he has seen shooting “Game of Thrones”. He says in his own words, “Like, they’re not even on the same playing field.” The same also goes for the amount of dedication by comic book fans still eclipsing devotees of Martin’s work and its HBO adaptation.

(Interesting to note as young Martin was an avid Marvel fan who wrote on the Fantastic Four comics’ letter column).

Of comparing the intensity between “GoT” and Marvel (Netflix) fan-bases, Jones has this to say, “It’s been cool. There’s been a great response when I’ve been out and about and people realize I’m playing Iron Fist.

It’s made me realize that loads of people actually read comic books over here and loads of people are into martial arts.” Speaking of which, Jones did some intense prep for his role, studying three martial arts along with Buddhist philosophy and meditation techniques.

Coming up on Marvel Netflix

Marvel’s “Iron Fist” stars Jones, Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing, David Wenham, Jessica Stroup and Tom Pelphrey as Harold, Joy and Ward Meachum, and Rosario Dawson as recurring Marvel Netflix character Claire Temple.

It will premiere on March 17. Later on in summer 2017 the follow-up series “Defenders” will unite Jones’s Rand/Iron Fist with previous heroes Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Brian Cox), Jessica jones (Krysten Ritter) and Luke Cage (Mike Colter) as a street-level hero team, fighting against antagonist Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver).