IRON FIST Casts David Wenham as Harold Meachum

And here comes the man responsible for the deaths of Iron Fist's parents.

Marvel has revealed that the upcoming Netflix series Iron Fist, based on their classic martial arts superhero, has cast David Wenham in the role of Harold Meachum.

According to the announcement, Meachum is described as "A ruthless corporate leader, Harold Meachum was partners with Danny Rand’s parents at the time of their deaths.  What role he plays in Danny’s past and future will be revealed over the course of the series."

Wenham, 50, is best known as Faramir in the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson.  In addition to playing Scarfield in the upcoming movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Wenham has appeared as Dilios in 300 and 300: Rise of an Empire, Carl in Van Helsing, and in the films Moulin Rouge, Dark City, Public Enemies, and The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course.

"I’m very excited to have David as our Harold Meachum," said Executive Producer and Showrunner Scott Buck.  "David is capable of displaying raw, visceral strength as well as extremely keen intelligence.  This will add up to a character of complex depth who will keep us off balance all season."

"David brings both a vulnerability and a danger to his many diverse roles," added Executive Producer/Head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb.  "This key quality creates a gravitas our series requires as Danny unravels the secrets behind Rand Enterprises."

Created in 1974 by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, Harold Meachum first appeared in Marvel Premiere #15 as the business partner of Wendell Rand, who discovered the mystical city of K'un-L'un as a young boy.  During his time in K'un L'un, Wendell saved the life of the city's ruler, Lord Tuan, and was adopted as Tuan's son.  However, Wendell eventually left K'un L'un and became a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States.  He married socialite Heather Duncan and together, they had a son named Daniel.

Wendell later organized an expedition to again seek out K'un L'un, taking his wife Heather, Meachum, and nine-year-old Danny.  During the journey up the mountain, Danny slipped off the path, causing his tie-rope to take his mother and father with him.  Meachum, who also loved Heather, forced Wendell to plunge to his death but offered to rescue Heather and Danny, although Heather refused his help.  Heather was soon devoured by wolves as she attempted to shield and protect Danny.  Danny survived, was rescued, and spent his formative years in K'un-Lun, eventually becoming the martial arts master known as Iron Fist.

Returning from the expedition, Meachum became lost and almost froze to death.  He was saved by residents of a small village on the bottom of the mountains.  However, his legs had to be amputated because they had been damaged too badly.  Lying in the village, Meachum learned that Danny had survived and was living in K'un-Lun.  Harold Meachum returned to the United States, leading the company he had co-owned with Wendell, preparing for the day that Danny would return to take his revenge.

When K'un L'un reappeared on Earth after 10 years, Danny left to find his father's killer. Returning to New York, Daniel Rand, dressed in the ceremonial garb of the Iron Fist, sought out Meachum, now the head of Meachum Industries.  After overcoming a number of attempts on his life, he confronted Meachum in his office, only to find the man legless. Meachum, by now, had accepted his fate and told Iron Fist to kill him.  Overcome with pity, Iron Fist walked away, but Meachum was murdered by a mysterious ninja, while his daughter Joy blamed Iron Fist for the death.  Eventually, Iron Fist cleared his name and began a career as a superhero, aided by his friends Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, falling in love with the latter.

Iron Fist is expected to premiere on Netflix sometime in 2017.